Geological training of foreign students – compliance with the world labor market requirements

Today the National Mining University is a leading university of resources in Ukraine that has acquired international recognition. The presence of foreign students has always been a proof of the fact that the university is reputed worldwide. Every year a lot of young people from the countries rich in mineral resources join the Mining University. Mostly, they arrive from African and Asian countries. It should sadly be noted that lack of specialists in some countries of the African continent is the reason why many kinds of mineral resources are not yet adequately developed. Therefore, our graduates have great prospects in the work related to the creation of the mineral resources bases of their countries. As an example, the graduate of the Geological Prospecting Faculty, Tinta Vunda, several years after graduation from the National Mining University, found one of the biggest kimberlite pipes in the world – Kwanza Sul in Angola, which is being actively exploited today. Subsequently, he returned to his alma mater as a postgraduate student and defended his doctorate thesis based of his field work. This example is not unique. Many of the NMU graduates made significant contribution to the development of mining industry in their countries. A lot of them hold high positions at mining enterprises as well as at ministries and departments, they also teach at universities.

The National Mining University is well known for its practical training, which is crucial for future engineers. The important part of mining engineers and geologists training is geological practice that is carried out in the Transazovian training ground. Among its benefits is the possibility to study geological processes while observing actual deposits of different minerals. During the practice, students observe deposits of gold, iron ore, rare metals, rare earthen substances, ceramic pegmatite, building stone, brick and tile raw materials and so forth. They study formation of these types of deposits, ways of reserves estimation, drawing of geological maps and sections, working with mining compass. Not less important is that rocks and deposits of the Ukrainian Shield are similar to those that can be explored and exploited in Africa by our graduates in future. This year, the students from Angola, China, Guinea, Zimbabwe and other countries conducted educational practice in Transazovia. They all received very important knowledge and skills that will certainly be useful to them in their future work.

One more benefit of the National Mining University is the Gemological Centre. It is the basis where students obtain training in geological specialty, specialization “Colored precious stones examination and evaluation”. Among those trainees, there have always been a lot of foreign students. However, this knowledge is not available to students of other specialties. Therefore, short gemological courses were started at the Gemological centre. This information turned out to be very interesting to students from Angola – one of the leading diamond mining countries. Not only geologists but also miners, dressers, drillers, including our graduates, are engaged to diamond mining in Angola. That is why it also useful for them to study bases of diamonds examination and evaluation. Specifically for students from Angola, the course of the bases of diamonds and precious stones examination has been compiled. The specialists from the State Gemological Centre of Ukraine were engaged in preparation of the course and professional equipment was used.

On the 21st of June, 2016, the ceremony of certificates presentation to the graduates of the Gemological Centre courses was held. According to the director of the center, associate professor Serhii Shevchenko, students from Angola, who attended the courses, have proved to be very conscientious and motivated. They brilliantly mastered the curriculum and will be able to apply their knowledge into practice, thereby enhancing the status of a graduate of the National Mining University in the global labor market of mining.

Ihor Nikitenko

Department of General and Structural Geology,

Associate Professor