POLOKWANE – The University of Limpopo (UL), Ivanhoe Mines Limited and Laurentian University in Canada have signed an agreement to develop and equip the University of Limpopo’s geology department to become a centre of excellence in geosciences.
Initiated and sponsored by Ivanhoe’s subsidiary, Ivanplats, this agreement will be achieved through measures that include:
- Improved training and curriculum choices in economic geology and mineral exploration at the University of Limpopo.
- Increased teaching and research capacities at the graduate student level.
- Equipping laboratories.
- Purchasing an outdoor vehicle and trailer for field excursions.
- Collaborating with Laurentian University to improve the University of Limpopo’s learning programmes.
Ivanhoe Mines, through Ivanplats, has allocated a total of US$2.5 million to the Limpopo and Laurentian universities to fund their partnership during its initial five years. In addition to Ivanhoe’s investment, Laurentian University of Sudbury, Ontario, has been awarded C$500,000 in scholarship funds for the project through the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) Programme.
Combined with a C$570,000 scholarship awarded to Laurentian by the International Development Research Corporation, these funds will create educational opportunities for 35 University of Limpopo students to study in Canada. Scholarship funding from the three sources will support under-graduate, Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) positions at Laurentian and be focused on topics and research in mineral exploration and economic geology. The QEII-GSST scholarship will fund up to 15 graduate students and faculty from the University of Limpopo to pursue MSc and PhD studies at Laurentian’s Department of Earth Sciences.
The funds also will support a number of Laurentian’s graduate students to travel to Limpopo for three-to-four-month internships over the course of the first five years of the funding agreement with Ivanhoe. These advanced graduate students will teach and assist junior faculty at the University of Limpopo.
Robert Friedland, Executive Chairperson and founder of Ivanhoe Mines, said the two universities were natural partners to work towards shared objectives.
“We are confident that this initiative will help to facilitate the University of Limpopo’s development to become a centre for excellence in mining education, and in the process help to realise the potential for economic growth that is inherent in South Africa’s heritage of abundant natural resources.
Prof Mahlo Mokgalong, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Limpopo, said the development of skills for the mining sector was crucial for the continued growth of the mining sector, a pillar of the South African economy.
“This new collaboration will contribute significantly to the University of Limpopo’s offering to skills development in the mining sector. As a tertiary institution, we are determined to remain relevant to South Africa’s overall economic growth. This partnership with Laurentian University and Ivanplats helps to strengthen our academic programmes in ways which will allow young people to actively participate in the sustainable economic growth of Limpopo province.”
A portion of the funding will be used to hire a full-time academic tutor or programme administrator to provide educational and administrative support for the successful completion of designated educational programmes for Limpopo students, along with other support typically offered to all Laurentian international students.
“This is really a marvelous learning opportunity, both for our graduate students and for the students and faculty at the University of Limpopo’s Department of Geology,” said Matthew Leybourne, Associate Professor of Geochemistry, Mineral Exploration Research Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University.
