The ability of the Australian minerals industry to successfully manage the
changes and challenges that face it in the 21st century depends ultimately
on the quality of its human resources. Mining engineers have a vital role
in this regard. The education and training that universities are currently
giving to mining engineers is under challenge and needs to be reassessed
in the light of industry directions for the 21st century. At one extreme is a
push for a `finished product' graduate, up and running in `the flavour of
the month' issues. At the other extreme are moves to reduce face-to-face
university teaching hours and return to the time honoured university
concept of `reading' for a degree. The lessons of Mourn make it apparent that neither approach is
appropriate to the industry's future needs (Windridge, 1996). Basic
knowledge gets rusty with time and new skills need to be learned. In
order to conduct mining operations safely, productively and competitively,
mining engineers must now accept the need to be prepared for continuing
professional development as a career imperative. The concept of being
professionally or statutorily qualified for life is no longer valid. This calls
into question the purpose, content, structure and mode of delivery of
university courses, all of which need to engender the principle and
facilitate the cause of continuing professional development. This paper presents a model which aims to deliver a quality assured
university education for mining engineers for the 21st century at
undergraduate, postgraduate and professional level. The model extends
beyond traditional university boundaries to match industry requirements
to international best practice. It is based on collaborative alliances and
innovative presentation modes which will provide industry access to
undergraduate and postgraduate course elements presented by a broad
range of national and international academic and industry authorities. It
offers the prospect for preserving the best of university ideals in higher
education, for developing and maintaining programs of direct relevance to
industry needs and for a structured involvement in the continuing
professional development of mining engineers.