KEY POINTS
- NWU launches School of Mines to boost skills.
- New mining degree programmes roll out by 2027.
- Rustenburg campus planned as long-term expansion.
North-West University opened its new School of Mines and Mining Engineering to harness the province’s mineral resources, train people in new skills, drive innovation, and boost long-term economic growth.
The North West has some of the most mineral-rich land in the world, but the populations around it are nonetheless poor and without jobs. The university thinks that mining-focused education may help close this gap by teaching local workers and doing research that makes the business stronger.
Transforming mineral wealth into human capital
The project fits with four of NWU’s Faculty of Engineering’s strategic goals, according to Executive Dean Prof. Liezl van Dyk. These are also: getting communities involved through high-impact projects; strengthening academics in mineral beneficiation, environmental sciences, and engineering; improving STEM skills in South Africa; and increasing international partnerships.
Van Dyk remarked, “We are dedicated to serving our community and province while getting students ready for the world stage.”
New programs will start in 2027
The plan is already starting to come together. In 2025, online postgraduate diplomas in Sustainability and Mining started. In 2027, a BSc in Sustainable Mining will start.
Furthermore NWU researchers are offering continuing education programs and working with industrial partners in Rustenburg, which is in the middle of the platinum belt. There will also be a real office there in 2026, and a bigger training center will be there in 2029.
A long-term plan for the Rustenburg campus
The university’s goal is to build a Rustenburg satellite campus by 2032 that will offer full professional engineering programs, including mining engineering. Van Dyk said that the proposal depends on getting approvals from the government, having the right infrastructure, and making a financial case that will last.
South Africa’s mining industry remains advanced and competitive, yet many host communities still see little benefit from it. NWU hopes that the new school will teach students how to work in mines and also change how they work.
In the North West, where unemployment is still very high, that goal could be as valuable as the platinum that lies beneath the ground.
