03 February 2023
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Story Amanda Tongha
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Photo Sonia Small
Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), will moderate a session focusing on academia’s contribution to the mining industry during the 2023 Mining Indaba held in Cape Town from 6 to 9 February 2023.
Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), will lead discussions on how academia could provide skills and knowledge to the mining industry at a gathering of industry leaders, visionaries, and innovators during the
2023 Mining Indaba hosted in Cape Town from 6 to 9 February 2023.
Participants in the four-day high-profile conference include role players in mining, academia, and government from the continent and countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Saudi Arabia.
Prof Petersen will be part of sessions on two different days; in the first, he will be leading a discussion on how academia could provide skills and knowledge to the mining sector. He will be up on the conference main stage again to participate in a discussion on the growing demand for energy and technology development.
Keeping up with exponential technological progress in the mining sector
Exploring the conference theme, ‘Unlocking African Mining Investment: Stability, Security, and Supply’, Prof Petersen will facilitate a panel discussion on
Tuesday 7 February 2023, featuring
Prof Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University,
Prof Sue Harrison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation of the University of Cape Town,
Dr Thulani Dlamini, Chief Executive Officer of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, and
Dr Molefi Motuku, Chief Executive Officer of
Mintek.
Reflecting on the topic, ‘How can academia keep up with exponential technological progress’, Prof Petersen will steer discussions on how universities can use technology to keep up with changes in mining, the talent gap in the industry, and how academia can work with mining companies to provide a skilled workforce. A former head of strategy at
Anglo American Platinum and member of the Board of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the
National Advisory Council on Innovation, Prof Petersen will give unique insights in how to make the mining industry more attractive for the next generation of mining professionals.
The future of African mining
On Wednesday 8 February 2023, Prof Petersen will take part in discussions on ‘
A Radical New Wave? Platforms and pathways for an innovative future and sustainability acceleration’. One of four speakers, he will be joined on stage by Dr Jeannette McGill, Vice-President and General Manager of Metals and Mining at the global company AspenTech, Sheila Khama, former CEO of De Beers Botswana and Non-Executive Director of Development Partner Institute, and Rohitesh Dhawan, Chief Executive Officer of ICMM, a leadership organisation working in the mining industry.
Also attending the conference are government ministers from more than 20 African countries, including South African ministers
Gwede Mantashe, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy,
Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs,
Mmamoloko Kubayi, Minister of Human Settlements, and
Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.
UFS teaching and learning in the mining sector
The UFS has been contributing skills and talent to the mining industry, offering the Master of Science in Mineral Resource Management postgraduate qualification to students. Representatives from the Department of Geology in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will also attend the Mining Indaba, showcasing its programme offering and networking with stakeholders.