CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN MINING AND INDUSTRY ( CSMI )
Change agent CSMI ’ s focus is on providing both the reason and the means for change . Academic and applied research undertaken recognizes both the unique conditions of African mining and the need for internationally acceptable practice .
The results of that research are translated into a suite of training and capacity-building offerings that are included in the building blocks for the next generation of mining professionals , alongside targeted interventions aimed at continuous professional development and building specialist capability .
MSc level offerings include courses on mining and sustainable development leadership ; environmental management in mining ; SHEC systems ; operational risk management and community development . These can also be taken as continuous professional development offerings through Wits Enterprise .
Partnerships CSMI may operate in Johannesburg , South Africa , but what the centre aims to do is serve the wider mining industry worldwide . CSMI attracts a large number of international participants , as well as having key links with academic institutions from Australia , Canada and the UK , something that Digby sees as a critical aspect for the future of the initiative and the industry .
“ The links to other international academic institutions is critical , as it creates the backdrop for the future training of the sector based on international practice and evidencebased research . There is huge potential for mining to contribute to development , articulated in the African Union ’ s African Mining Vision , which is now being rolled out at the country level ,” says Digby .
“ Through these links , CSMI can contribute to knowledge sharing in both large-scale and artisanal and small-scale mining sectors .”
It is with these partnerships that CSMI acts as a hub for information and the fulcrum for evidence-based research on responsible mining . It acknowledges the multi-jurisdictional differences encountered by mining companies in Africa , the challenges of regulatory implementation encountered in many mining countries and the need across
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