SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ministry of Mines | Ministry of Education
The Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) at Curtin University is expanding its world-leading expertise through a unique “dual-degree” model for global students. Australia is renowned for its expertise in mining, particularly its innovative Mining Equipment, Technology, and Services (METS) sector and its leadership in sustainable mining practices. This dual-degree strategy is designed to transfer that world-class capability, build local expertise in major mining economies, and extend WASM’s global reputation.
Dual-Degree Model: The program allows international students to commence their degrees in their home country and then complete the final years in Western Australia, ultimately graduating with dual qualifications from both their home institution and Curtin University.
Global Expansion: Following successful partnerships established in Argentina, WASM is actively exploring replication of the model in other major mining economies, including India.
What is the METS Sector? METS stands for Mining Equipment, Technology, and Services. It refers to the specialized sector that provides the necessary advanced technology, engineering solutions, safety systems, and intellectual property that underpin modern mining operations. Australia is considered a world leader in METS innovation, particularly in sustainable practices and automation.
Policy Relevance
India’s push for increased domestic mineral production and its ambition to modernize its mining sector relies heavily on adopting global expertise in areas like mining engineering, metallurgy, and sustainable practices, which WASM specializes in. The interest from a globally top-ranked institution like WASM provides a direct opportunity for India’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Mines to quickly upgrade domestic human capital standards in the mining sector (SDG 4, 9). Establishing such an international dual-degree pipeline is a strategic lever to bridge the country’s severe skill deficit in deep-earth mining and high-value metallurgy, which is critical for India’s energy transition and resource security.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What policy framework should the Ministry of Education create—in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines—to expedite regulatory approvals and incentivize top Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and mining universities to establish dual-degree partnerships with global leaders like WASM?
Follow the full news here: Western Australian School of Mines takes Australian mining expertise worldwide