The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The University of Saskatchewan and the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) announced last week a funding agreement to develop and deliver five additional mining courses and the creation of three new undergraduate mining options in geological, mechanical and chemical engineering. The three-year funding agreement, worth $1.67 million, is among Saskatchewan's minerals industry, the Government of Saskatchewan and the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. IMII's role is to work with industry members to identify critical needs and then with its partners to facilitate program delivery using funds from industry and the province. 'It definitely increases the profile of Saskatchewan's minerals industry on both a national and international scale,' IMII Executive Director Rodney Orr said, 'and enhances our members' competitiveness by directly meeting the needs they have identified.' The university will use the funding to recruit three new faculty members who specialize in mining engineering, to invest in mining engineering technology and to develop undergraduate and post-graduate programming that will build capacity for skilled mining professionals in the province. 'Together with agriculture and petroleum, the minerals industry is one of the three main pillars of the Saskatchewan economy and it's vital that the province's largest educational institution is developing programs in direct support of this industry,' University of Saskatchewan President Ilene Busch-Vishniac said. Another objective of the agreement is for the University of Saskatchewan to explore course development and delivery with the Saskatchewan Institute for Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) and define pathways for graduates from technical schools to enter mining engineering programs at the U of S. 'We are looking to offer the new mining engineering options in September 2014,' College of Engineering Acting Dean Ernie Barber said. 'Demand for highly trained workers in Saskatchewan's mining and minerals industry is growing by leaps and bounds. We're gearing up to be ready to help meet those needs for training, research and innovation.' In addition to the U of S and IMII funding agreement, Innovation Saskatchewan also announced an additional $1.2 million funding from the province to IMII. 'These additional resources for the IMII will allow our province to continue to be a catalyst for innovative thinking in the mining industry,' Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said on behalf of Economy Minister and Minister responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Bill Boyd. 'By bringing industry together with the educational and research community at the university, Saskatchewan will continue to be a leader in developing its natural resources.' _ Government of Saskatchewan
