Many natural resources are in need to be used in a smarter, more sustainable way. The European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan sets many ways on how to “close the loop” of product lifecycles. Extractive industry is the industry where large volumes of waste are generated. This includes not only solid waste from mine extraction but also liquid waste in oil&gas industry and gaseous waste (eg. greenhouse gas emissions from mines). The Circular economy act published by EU puts a major emphasis on finding new, innovative means to move away from a 'take-make-dispose' culture and to develop new methods, technologies and also approaches to recycle and re-use products. In this context extractive industry and higher education programes related to it such as: mining, mineral engineering, raw materials, applied earth sciences need to put an emphasis on this context and include this concept in the existing curricula and/or create new study programmes or short courses that will include circular economy approach. The objective of this proposal is to create a strategic partnerships between Universities and companies developing a comprehensive training platform that will help to modify existing study programmes related to extractive industry also knowledge of proper waste management incorporating circular economy approach. The programme will aim to strengthen the strategic and structured cooperation between higher education institutions through: a) support for various types of cooperation models, including the most ambitious ones such as the European Universities; b) contributing to remove obstacles to mobility by implementing automatic mutual recognition of qualifications and learning outcomes, and by embedding mobility in curricula; c) support for higher education institutions to implement the Bologna principles and tools to enhance mobility for all and to develop a successful multilingual European Education Area by 2025.
Implementation of the project allowed to create a strategic partnership of Universities and companies to develop a comprehensive training platform that will help to modify existing study programmes related to extractive industry with up-to-date, practical and applicable knowledge of proper waste management in extractive industry incorporating circular economy approach. The environmental and climate change are important reasons not only for survival, but also for the development of current societies. Training future staff must take into account the long-term priorities of economic change. Climate change is not limited to one country or region but is a worldwide problem. Therefore, the education of future engineers and/or Master students should follow an integrated pathway for a common international labour market and for the implementation of the idea of a circular economy. The project aimed at coordinating the efforts of various universities to not only promote internationalization but, above all, to build coherent learning profiles and bridge gaps in existing curricula.
Many natural resources are finite and need to be used in a smarter, more sustainable way. The extractive industry, on the other hand, is an industry where large volumes of wastes are generated. The circular economy apporach puts emphasis on finding new, innovative means to move away from a 'take-make-dispose' culture and to develop new methods, technologies and also approaches to recycle and re-use products. In this context the extractive industry and higher education programmes related to it, such as: mining, mineral engineering, raw materials, applied earth sciences need to focus on this context and include this concept in the existing curricula and/or create new study programmes or short courses that will include the circular economy approach.