In the Office of Global Initiatives and Business Development, our mission is to improve health and prosperity throughout the world through science and engineering. One of the ways that we fulfill this mission is through capacity development projects. In these projects, we work with government agencies, industry partners, university partners, or some combination of those three to develop educational and/or research programs. These programs include planning a new university from the ground up, building a college or department within an existing university, or developing a training program for working professional. Our latest work is focused on the Middle East, Central Asia, and a new project on Guam.
Partnership Highlights
GAMMA Research Facility in Partnership with ASTRO AMERICA AND BLUE FORGE ALLIANCE
Washington, DC, USA
Mines is partnering with ASTRO America and Blue Forge Alliance to diversify the economy of Guam and develop manufacturing as an industry on island. Guam is situated at a key geostrategic location in the Indo-Pacific region and plays a critical role in U.S. defense strategy and allied operations. As the closest U.S. territory to Asia, Guam supports military power projection, trade route security, and commitments to allies under agreements like AUKUS. The Guam Additive Materials and Manufacturing Accelerator (GAMMA) project, led by ASTRO America, has identified additive manufacturing (AM) as a key technology that will help establish industrial capabilities and a manufacturing ecosystem on the island. The GAMMA initiative includes a Center of Excellence encompassing workforce development, a testing and evaluation hub, and an incubator for additive manufacturing production.
Bachelor Degree Mechanical Engineering in Partnership with UNIVERSITY OF GUAM
Mangilao, Guam
As part of the larger initiative to develop the workforce for the manufacturing sector in Guam, Mines is partnering with the University of Guam (UOG) to develop a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree on Guam. UOG will provide the educational foundation and core curriculum for the mechanical degree, and Mines new additional campus, located on Guam, will provide the technical, upper-division coursework. Colorado School of Mines: Guam will be conferring the bachelor’s degree to students who complete the requirements. Graduating students will have the option to continue their education with a master’s degree, either online or at Colorado School of Mines: Golden campus. The creation of Mines Guam aligns with the strategic goals of the Navy and the Government of Guam to enhance the island’s industrial base and strengthen its workforce for national security and economic stability. Will also support the GAMMA Facility (referenced above).
Development of the Center for Mining Sustainability in Peru
Arequipa, Peru
Colorado School of Mines and the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín in Arequipa, Peru, have developed a partnership to tackle one of the most important societal and environmental issues facing southern Peru—how to manage mining of natural resources in a manner that is sustainable, supports the local economies and minimizes environmental impacts. This partnership has led to the Center for Mining Sustainability, a jointly managed group of researchers from a broad array of departments at both universities. The vision for the center is to provide research-driven solutions to artisanal and small-scale mining issues to benefit the Arequipa region and that will be applied at all scales of mining worldwide. Research projects are aimed at protecting water resources, improving mine safety, reducing risk from geologic hazards and improving mining processes. For more information on this project and other projects in Latin America, please visit the Institute for Initiatives in Latin America.
Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering in partnership with NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY
Astana, Kazakhstan
Colorado School of Mines created a strategic partnership with Nazarbayev University (NU) School of Mining and Geosciences (SMG) focused on the program design, development and delivery, faculty and student recruitment, and admissions of NU. The NU and Mines partnership was designed to develop research capacity at NU in Petroleum Engineering that would produce research products relevant to developing oil and gas resources in Kazakhstan. Integral to this effort was the further development of the NU graduate program and recruiting top faculty to work for NU. Mines involvement with this project has come to a close and the university is self-sustaining.
Bachelor + Master Program Cooperative Degree Programming in Partnership with SATBAYEV UNIVERSITY
Almaty, Kazakhstan
The Colorado School of Mines partnership with Satbayev University (SU), located in Almaty, Kazakhstan, began with a project entitled “Improving the Competence of Satbayev University to Meet the Human Capital Needs of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry in Kazakhstan”. Initiated in 2018, by a three-company consortium (Consortium) consisting of Chevron, ENI, and Shell, the project focused on the development of an English-based Bachelor’s level curriculum, faculty development workshops, and the initiation of research projects co-developed by SU and Mines’ faculty. Mines relationship with SU has continued to evolve, and SU is launching several pathways for students completing their bachelor’s degree in geology, geophysics, mining, or petroleum. Partnering with Mines, students will have a seamless transition to Mines in their senior year and an opportunity to take part in Mines’ combined degree program. The program (3+1+1) will allow students to apply up to 6 credits of their bachelor degree requirements towards a master’s program at Mines, accelerating their degree to completion to as soon as one year. Graduates would receive their master degree from Colorado School of Mines.