Studying Mining Engineering in Germany: General Conditions, Locations and Study Programmes

Mining education in Germany has undergone significant changes and development over the past decade. On the one hand, this is due to the changing framework conditions and requirements of industry, science and society. On the other hand, this process has been accelerated by the introduction of a European study reform, also known as the Sorbonne Declaration and Bologna Process. All in all, this has led to an increasing number of study programmes – today there are around 19,000 study programmes in Germany (1) – and the associated increasing complexity. For this reason, this article is dedicated to mining engineering studies in Germany and will provide an overview of current framework conditions, locations where mining can be studied today, and existing study programmes.

1  Introduction and framework conditions

Raw materials and mining are at the beginning of every industrial value chain. Mining is therefore not everything, but everything is nothing without mining. Especially the topics of energy transition or electromobility, which are often discussed today, would be just as unfeasible and unconceivable without raw materials as modern information and communication technology as a basis for industry 4.0. Mining has always been characterized by a high innovation capacity and today is itself a high-tech industry. Aspects of digitisation, automation, robotics or artificial intelligence are addressed as well as occupational safety and health, environmental protection, post-mining or generally the sustainable and responsible use of existing resources.

Technological innovations are the key for future sustainable development in the raw materials sector (2). In recent centuries, education has always been adapted to the respective requirements and has been and continues to be further developed. The independence and autonomy of universities are of paramount importance in this context, because they “ensure that higher education and research systems adapt continuously to changing needs, societal demands and advances in science” (3). Current expectations of university graduates are becoming increasingly complex, so that in addition to a high level of specialist and disciplinary knowledge and understanding, they should nowadays also possess a high degree of other key qualifications such as self-, social and methodological competence, the ability to innovate, or the ability to work in interdisciplinary and possibly international teams. For teaching, this necessitates the acquisition of subject-specific and interdisciplinary competencies already during the study. In order to achieve this, the training concepts for future mining engineers have been reconsidered and redesigned for years. In addition to the aforementioned requirements for a renewal of mining education, this process was accelerated by a European study reform, also known as the “Sorbonne Declaration” and Bologna Process, which was initiated at the end of the 1990s with the aim of creating a uniform European Higher Education Area (3).

Based on the 1988 Magna Carta Universitatum of Bologna (4), in which the signing European universities profess fundamental values such as academic freedom and institutional autonomy, the initiation of the Bologna Process aimed at modernising universities, a Europe-wide harmonisation of study programmes and qualifications as well as international mobility. It included the following measures (3):

• Improvement of the comparability of degrees through the introduction of a Diploma Supplement detailing the degree programme completed.
• Introduction of a credit point system as a suitable means of promoting maximum student mobility.
• Promoting mobility by overcoming the obstacles to free movement in practice.
• Promoting European cooperation in quality assurance.
• Promoting the necessary European dimension in higher education.

In the course of the demand for international comparability of degrees, a system consisting essentially of two main cycles was introduced in the majority of the federal states, replacing degree programmes with diplomas or master’s degrees with Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. The Bachelor’s degree is an academic degree and is considered the first professional qualification with a standard period of study of three to four years. It serves as a proof of qualification for a subsequent master’s programme and holds the terms Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng.) or Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) The master’s degree serves as a supplement to a completed undergraduate degree and is comparable to a diploma or master’s degree. The associated standard period of study is two to four semesters, completion of which will confer the degree M. Eng. or M. Sc. In some federal states, e. g. Saxony, these study programmes continue to be offered as diploma courses.

Due to the aforementioned changing requirements, social demands and advances in science, the mining degree programmes at all university locations in Germany have undergone change and further development in recent decades and years. Classical mining degree programmes have been adapted in terms of structure, orientation and content and new, partly international, degree programmes have been developed. Nonetheless, even though the names of the study programmes have changed, contents and methods have been adapted and further developed in line with technical developments, the fundamentals taught within the framework of a degree programme have remained largely comparable and include fundamentals in geoscience and natural science (mathematics, physics, chemistry), engineering fundamentals (mechanics, electrical engineering, introduction to mechanical engineering), fundamentals of business administration and law, data processing and internships in various companies in the raw materials industry. In addition, there are compulsory modules and special subjects for the respective field of study as well as seminars, student research projects and thesis work. The career prospects are varying, so that graduates have very good entry opportunities in the raw material extraction and processing industry, in companies in the supply industry, in planning and engineering offices, in municipal water and energy supply companies or insurance companies and banks. Due to the enormous demand for know-how and modern technology in the raw materials industry, graduates are in great demand regionally, nationally and worldwide, so that even if subsidised coal mining in Germany is coming to an end this year, there is still a great demand for mining engineers.

Due to the fact, that the classical mining engineering study courses have changed in recent years, this article will first provide an overview of the university locations where the mining subject is taught in Germany and existing mining engineering study courses in Germany, before presenting the study programmes and developments at the individual universities in more detail.

2  Overview mining engineering programmes Germany

Currently, three universities and one university of applied sciences in Germany offer mining engineering courses. These are by name:

• RWTH Aachen University;
• Clausthal University of Technology (TU Clausthal);
• TU Bergakademie Freiberg; and
• TH Georg Agricola University.

Fig. 1. Mining building of RWTH Aachen University. // Bild 1. Bergbaugebäude der RWTH Aachen University. Photo/Foto: RWTH

Founded in 1870 as the „Königlich Rheinisch-Westphälische Polytechnische Schule zu Aachen”, RWTH Aachen University, with its 550 professors, 9,500 employees and 260 institutes, is one of the leading European science and research institutions (Figure 1). With its nine faculties, the university offers almost all disciplines of a classical university and is a place where the future of our industrialized world is thought of. Raw materials-related teaching and research is organised in the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering with around 4,100 students, 50 professors and 600 employees. With its future concept RWTH 2020: “Meeting Global Challenges”, RWTH Aachen University is one of the nine German universities that were included in the third funding line as part of the Excellence Initiative 2007. The university is proving to be an increasingly internationally perceived hotspot where innovations answering to global challenges are developed. This dynamic research profile also enriches education and studies at RWTH Aachen University. In addition to excellent fundamentals, the study programs are characterized by research and development of new, innovative applications in international teams. This is also appreciated by potential employers. National rankings and international evaluations certify that RWTH graduates are highly qualified to master complex tasks, to solve problems constructively in teamwork and to take on management tasks. Currently there are around 45,000 students enrolled in a total of 157 courses, of which 9,500 are international students from 125 countries (5, 6, 7).

Fig. 2. Mining building of Clausthal Technical University. // Bild 2. Bergbaugebäude der TU Clausthal. Photo/Foto: TUC

Regionally rooted, globally valued – this is the TU Clausthal founded in 1775 as the “Clausthaler montanistische Lehrstätte “ (Figure 2). The training at the university, which is rich in tradition, is very popular with national and international companies. Young people in Clausthal enjoy the different way of studying, namely the personal atmosphere and the practical teaching conditions. Clausthal teaches and conducts research in the fields of energy and raw materials, natural and material sciences, economics, mathematics, computer science, mechanical engineering and process engineering. The maxim is the close connection of natural sciences, engineering sciences and economics within an application-oriented research, which is organised in three innovative centres: the Energy Research Centre Lower Saxony, the Clausthal Centre for Materials Sciences and the Simulation Science Centre. With its 4,500 students and around 1,080 employees, TU Clausthal is one of Germany’s smaller universities, but is known worldwide for its excellent research and teaching, especially in the field of raw materials science. The TU’s good worldwide reputation is regularly reflected in top rankings. In addition, students and employees enjoy the internationality of the university, nature in the Harz Mountains and the extensive range of sports offered by the university with more than 60 disciplines from skiing and sailing to mountain biking. The international character of the university is demonstrated not only by the proportion of about one third of international students and employees, but also by the many cooperations with foreign universities, institutions and companies (8, 9, 10).

Fig. 3. Karl-Kegel-Building of TU Bergakademie Freiberg. // Bild 3. Karl-Kegel-Bau derTU Bergakademie Freiberg. Photo/Foto: TUBAF

Founded in 1765 as a “montanwissenschaftliche höhere Bildungseinrichtung“, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Figure 3) is a resource university that focuses its research and teaching on, among other things, how to manage the finite resources of this earth responsibly. To this end, six faculties are developing efficient and alternative technologies for raw material extraction, energy technologies, materials and recycling processes and making a significant contribution to solving economic and ecological challenges. With engineering, natural sciences, geosciences, materials science and economics, the university combines all areas of modern raw materials research in the basic area and application-oriented research (11). A total of 90 professors and 1,700 employees work at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (12). Four core fields – geo, material, energy and environment – give the university its unique profile: from the exploration of new and domestic deposits to the development of alternative energy technologies and materials to recycling. Through intensive cooperation with regional, national and international companies, basic and practical research is carried out (13). More than 4,600 students receive a scientifically sound and practice-oriented education in 62 courses of study. Close cooperation with companies gives students the advantage of being able to complete internships and paperwork, including industrial doctorates (11).

Fig. 4. // Bild 4. TH Georg Agricola University. // Photo/Foto: THGA

Since its foundation in 1816, the TH Georg Agricola University has continuously developed and adapted to the requirements of the times (Figure 4) (18). Thus, the former leading educational institution and management training centre for the next generation of skilled workers in the hard coal mining industry has developed into a renowned private, state-recognised university of applied sciences. The supporting company is the DMT-Gesellschaft für Lehre und Bildung mbH (DMT-LB). In addition to the TH Georg Agricola University , DMT-LB also supports the German Mining Museum Bochum (DBM). This combination of a university and a Leibniz research museum under one roof is unique and is one of the TH Georg Agricola Universitiy’s unique selling points. The studies are practice-oriented, research projects have a concrete application reference. The closure of the last coal mines touches on the TH Georg Agricola University’s self-image. For a long time now, however, the University has been focusing on new, future-oriented topics – and has thus always been a symbol of change in the region, which it has always actively accompanied. In the future, the TH Georg Agricola University will therefore continue to focus on mining, more specifically on sustainable raw materials management, a profile-building part of its teaching and research offerings, and the combination of leading technical knowledge, high quality standards and responsibility for people and the region will be an essential part of the training of future specialists and managers. In particular, the challenges of post-mining, which the university investigates in an interdisciplinary and independent manner in its own research centre, are a topic for the future – in the region, but also in mining regions worldwide.

The following mining engineering study courses are currently offered at the different locations:

RWTH Aachen University

• Raw Materials Engineering (B.Sc.), expiring, is replaced by
• Sustainable Raw Materials and Energy Supply (B. Sc.) (beginning WS2018/2019) with the specialisations in
  • Mining
  • Recycling
  • Energy
• Raw Materials Engineering (M. Sc.) with the specialisations in
  • Mining
  • Recycling
• European Mining Course, Joint Degree, English

TU Clausthal

• Energy and Raw Materials (B. Sc.) with the specialisations in
  • Energy and Raw Materials Supply Technology
  • Petroleum Engineering
• Mining Engineering (M. Sc.), English
• Petroleum Engineering (M. Sc.), English

TU Bergakademie Freiberg

• Geotechnics and Mining (Dipl.-Ing.) with the specialisations in
  • Mining
  • Geotechnics
  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Special underground construction
• Sustainable Mining and Remediation Management (M. Sc.), English
• Advanced Mineral Resource Development (M. Sc.), Joint Degree, English
• Groundwater Management (M. Sc.), English
• International Management of Resources and Environment (MBA)

TH Georg Agricola University

• Raw Materials Engineering (B. Eng.) with the specialisations in
  • Aggregates
  • Underground Construction
• Geoengineering and Post-Mining (M. Eng.) with the specialisations in
  • Geoengineering
  • Subsequent use and Mine Surveying
• Mineral Resource and Process Engineering (M. Sc.) with the specialisations in
  • Mineral Resource Engineering
  • Process Engineering

In addition to the above-mentioned courses of study, there are other courses of study, which deal with mining or raw materials, such as georesource management or environmental engineering (RWTH Aachen University), raw materials geosciences or geoenvironmental engineering (TU Clausthal), but which are not listed here on the narrow sense of mining engineering. In the following, further explanations and information on the individual courses of study are given.

2.1  RWTH Aachen University

The new Bachelor’s programme Sustainable Raw Materials and Energy Supply with the specialisations in Mining, Recycling and Energy will start at RWTH Aachen University in the winter term 2018/2019, replacing the Bachelor’s programme Raw Materials Engineering. In addition to the fundamentals (mathematics, mechanics, chemistry, electrical engineering, thermodynamics, mechanical engineering, business studies, law, simulation technology), students can follow their individual interests and expand their professional skills from the third semester onwards, depending on their chosen field of study (mining: geology, mineralogy, raw material extraction, processing, raw material management, energy raw materials, mine surveying). In addition to theoretically oriented subjects, practical internships are indispensable and offer important insights and contacts into professional practice. The study programme is supplemented by excursions, e. g. to Australia, Canada or Brazil. In addition, the course offers the opportunity to gain experience abroad. Through the ERASMUS+ mobility programme, students can already spend one or two semesters at several European partner universities in the Bachelor’s as well as Master`s phase. The RWTH Aachen University also maintains a large number of cooperations with renowned universities beyond Europe, e. g. in China, Russia, USA, Thailand, Brazil, Australia and Canada(14).

Consecutively following on from this is the four semester Master’s course in Raw Materials Engineering, which offers an exceptionally individual and intensive teaching with early opportunities to work on current research projects. Not only theoretical knowledge is imparted, but also great importance is placed on practical applications, e. g. by promoting project-based and experiential learning. As part of the study program, regular excursions to selected locations and companies take place. In this way, the disciplinary knowledge can be developed and deepened directly on site. The course of study consists of a compulsory and an elective course according to the specialisation. For electives, students can choose from a catalogue of academic courses. While the electives in the Bachelor programme count for around 20 %, it comprises 80 % of the Master’s programme.

Students of the M. Sc. programme also have the opportunity to take part in the European Mining Course (EMC), which is organised by RWTH Aachen University, Delft University and Aalto University in Helsinki. The EMC programme received the EIT Label, a quality seal awarded to top Master and PhD programmes, which excel in shaping a new generation of students into game changers and innovators. Students of EIT Label programmes learn how to combine their specialist knowledge with key innovation and entrepreneurship skills to develop solutions to pressing societal challenges. The program consists of four semesters and is held in English. Students attend courses at all locations and receive a double degree (M. Sc.) from all three universities (15).

Mining education at RWTH Aachen University is characterised by modern, competence-oriented teaching, in which the principles of a student-oriented and learning objectives and outcome-oriented education are equally taken into account, as well as the combination of research and teaching, the integration of a high level of practical application and industrial relevance and aspects for safe, sustainable and responsible raw material extraction. Following this principle, the courses and programs are continuously further developed and adapted to the changing requirements of industry, science and society, so that future graduates are optimally prepared for their work environments. This also includes the use and development of new didactically sound methods and approaches. These include, e. g., activating methods in which the mostly passively conveyed knowledge is specifically activated, experiental and project-based learning or blended learning, in which presence and self-learning phases are linked with the possibilities of new media. These are supplemented by the integration of CDIO approaches (see pp 427 to 434 in this issue // read article online) or the integration of augmented or virtual reality elements into teaching. The latter is currently being investigated in a project funded by the EIT Raw Materials entitled “VR-Mine: VR-Mine. Integrating Virtual Reality into European Mining Education” project (16).

2.2  TU Clausthal

Since its foundation as the “Clausthaler Montanistische Lehr-stätte”, Clausthal University of Technology has been trained mining engineers. The classic mining engineer is currently studying the six-semester, German-language bachelor’s programme in energy and raw materials with a specialisation in energy and raw materials supply technology, which is offered in addition to petroleum engineering. In the summer semester of 2018, 286 students are enrolled in this course, 48 % of whom come from abroad and 16 % are female. This is followed consecutively by the English Master’s programme in Mining Engineering with a regular study time of four semesters, which has replaced the German-language Master’s programme in Energy and Raw Materials Supply Engineering with its introduction in the winter semester of 2014.

The course contents cover broad fundamentals in the fields of energy and raw material exploration, extraction, conveying technology, processing and the associated specific disciplines as well as soft skills. The competencies developed enable graduates to pursue a career based on disciplinary knowledge and professional experience with management tasks in the field of mining and related areas. The aim is also to convey the responsibility of the mining engineer towards nature and society in the sense of sustainable development and to lay the foundation for interdisciplinary and international cooperation. This begins already during the studies through national and international projects with industrial partners and also in the cooperation of the students among each other. With an 83 % share of international students, intercultural competence is further developed during the course of study.

Both competence orientation and student-centred teaching are not just conditions to be fulfilled in Clausthal education, but a principle for teaching. This requires a refresher course of the classical lecture system with two-hour frontal lectures and innovative teaching concepts contribute to the achievement of the goal. An important first step is the design of the course according to the Constructive Alignment (17), so that the teaching-learning activities are aligned with the learning objectives and these are examiend in an appropriate form. At the same time, it is important to make the best possible use of the time teachers and learners spend together. Due to the strong simplification of media access, the reading out of material is no longer necessary, so that the teaching-learning activities aim at the competence development of the students, which is shaped by instruction, feedback and structuring by the teacher. The activation of the students by appropriate methods is part of this approach. The courses are individually tailored to students, teachers and learning objectives. As an example, the design of the Underground Mine Planning Module is presented below. The module, which is located in the second master semester, has a scope of six credit points. Lecture and tutorial are accompanied by a project work, which contains beside the project management and target group-fair communication the work with a mining planning software as well as project work with industry purchase. In the events, which take place in four hour blocks, the transfer between the individual areas of underground mining is focused by the use of activating methods. In addition to the project report and written examination, an underground mine visit forms the thematic conclusion of the module. Individual further development is just as important in the Mining Engineering course as sound training in the core mining areas. Students can therefore structure a third of their studies by choosing their suitable study and master thesis topics and choosing four elective subjects as a specialisation. However, many students make use of this opportunity and take more than the required elective subjects.

From today’s perspective, the step from a German-language Master’s to an English-language one was exactly the right one. On the one hand, the mining world is very international, for which this course prepares, and on the other hand, well-trained young engineers are brought into our country, further trained and are thus available to the German labour market as skilled workers. Many of the previous graduates have therefore already found their way to German mining companies.

2.3  TU Bergakademie Freiberg

Mining education at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg is traditionally offered in the study programme Geotechnics and Mining (GTB) with the degree Diplom-Ingenieur. Completely modularised, the joint four-semester intermediate diploma is followed by a five-semester main diploma in one of the four specialisations of mining, geotechnics, petroleum engineering and special underground construction.

Special emphasis is placed on a broad, practice-oriented education. In mining, this includes not only the internships accompanying the studies, e. g. in the prioritised “Beflissenenausbildung”, but also a large number of topic-specific tours in companies in surface and underground mining as well as in remediation mining. Internships and exercises for the lectures take place not only in the laboratories and test halls of the institutes, but also underground at the university’s own research and training mine, e. g. drilling and blasting work, road and shaft hoisting, surveying, occupational safety and health, dimensioning and ventilation. In preparation for an international career, English-language specialist lectures in individual special subjects supplement the canon of subjects.

Since 2008, “Sustainable Mining and Remediation Management” has been offered as the first English-language Master’s programme in mining in Germany. The focus is on post-mining and mining rehabilitation with a focus on uranium, ore and lignite mining. The attractiveness of this course of studies has been high from the very beginning. In 2017/2018, more than 40 new enrollees decided on this study programme.

In 2012, the Master’s programme “Advanced Mineral Resource Development” (AMRD) was introduced as a “Joint Degree” with the specialisations “Mining Engineering” and “Mineral Economics/ Entrepreneurship”. With the partners

• Montanuniversität MU Leoben (Austria);
• Dnipro Polytechnic (Ukraine);
• China University of Mining and Technology Beijing;
• University of Lisbon (Portugal);
• Amirkabir University Tehran (Iran);
• Polytechnic University of Madrid (Spain); and
• Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)

AMRD is currently the largest mining education network in the world. Courses are being held with other institutions on all continents to expand the network. After the first semester in Leoben and the second semester in Freiberg, the third and fourth semesters will take place at the respective home universities of the students with country-specific study contents. The master thesis will be written in the partner countries, the supervision and defence of the final thesis will take place simultaneously at the MU Leoben, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg and the respective partner university. Thus, a graduate obtains a Master’s degree at all three universities.

With an internship offer in English at the research and teaching mine, a high practical relevance can also be guaranteed in the international study courses. Students from almost 80 countries are currently enrolled at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. As far as the number of new enrolments is concerned, the international mining degree courses are now of a similar size to the diploma degree course.

Since 2002, the mining engineering programmes have been supplemented with several programmes for double diplomas and since 2006 for double doctorates with partners from Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Romania. In the consecutive (3 + 2) special study programme with the Mongolian University of Science and Technology, a new approach to joint education was developed and introduced in 2010, in which students first study for three years in Ulan Bator according to the Freiberger curriculum and then graduate in Freiberg with a diploma. In 2014, the first 4 + 2 program was implemented with the China University of Mining and Technology Beijing (four years Bachelor in Beijing, two years Master in Freiberg).

The internationalisation of the raw materials markets is also reflected in a large number of training and development projects with universities, industry and public administration, e. g. in the organisation of semesters abroad for partner universities from Asia and the USA in Freiberg, or in regularly offered summer schools with participants from Europe, Asia and Africa. Of particular importance here are the modernisation of geological and mining education at the Kabul Polytechnic University (2013 to 2018), the coordination of the establishment of the German-Mongolian College for Resources and Technologies (GMIT, since 2013) and the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Mining, Environmental Engineering and Resource Management (CEMEREM) for East Africa in Kenya (since 2015). Since 2017, an Erasmus+ KA2 project has been implemented with eight further partner universities in Italy, Austria, Vietnam and Russia to modernise mining education. Major projects in further education for partners from industry and public administration are carried out for Chile (Codelco), the mining sector in Serbia, the energy industry in Romania or the Ministry of Mines in Mozambique.

2.4  TH Georg Agricola University

The Bachelor’s programme in Mineral Resources Engineering (RI), with its two major fields of study – aggregates and underground construction, deals with the extraction of raw materials, further processing and refining of products. The major in underground construction deals with the extraction of mineral raw materials underground. The extraction and further processing of mainly building materials such as granite, limestone, basalt, clay, sand and gravel in companies of the aggregates industry occupies an important place in Germany’s basic industry. Not only in the construction industry, but also for the production of glass, ceramics or semiconductors of computer chips and solar cells, aggregates are needed. The THGA is the only university in Germany, which offers a specialisation in aggregates. The number of jobs offered has exceeded the number of graduates for years. The orientation of the course of studies also permits an internationally oriented activity.

Mining leaves its mark. Dealing responsibly with them is a major challenge for mining regions worldwide. Safety and remediation measures are necessary to control the risks at former mining sites. The development of subsequent usages opens up sustainable future prospects for the affected regions. The Master’s programme in Geoengineering and Post-Mining, which is unique in Germany, trains engineers to plan and carry out the complex processes of mine closure and aftercare in a position of responsibility. The high demand shows that the course of studies has met a special need: more than 60 students are currently enrolled for the winter semester 2018/19. The first 20 students have already successfully completed their studies. The course of studies thus contributes to the THGA’s further profile. The course combines scientific and technical qualifications at the interface between mining, mine surveying and geotechnics; findings from research work at the Research Centre for Post Mining are constantly incorporated into teaching (19). The part-time Master’s programme is supported by the RAG Foundation, which currently supports a second endowed professorship.

The international Master’s programme “Mineral Resource and Process Engineering” (MRPE) prepares students optimally for their future careers. The practice-oriented course of studies started successfully in the winter semester 2017/18 and can be completed both full-time and part-time (20). The special feature is the combination of subjects and the unusual flexibility. Students can choose between the study courses “Mineral Resource Engineering” (raw material extraction) or “Process Engineering” (process engineering and preparation). From a pool of courses, they independently put together their own personal study program. In addition to traditional courses, this also includes many practical elements, business games, e-learning and their own small projects. In this way, prospective engineers are prepared to develop tactics and technology on a large scale. The Master’s programme integrates research-oriented practical work in companies or organisations in the raw materials sector – including the areas of processing, recycling, energy efficiency, occupational safety and environmental protection. In addition to engineering science content, the course also teaches management skills and thus prepares students for the position of manager. Since the demand is huge both nationally and internationally, classes at the THGA are held in English and German. The course of studies “Mineral Resource Engineering” can also be completed completely in English (21).

The quality of teaching is ensured by uniform standards for the level of performance, for almost every bachelor’s degree course a further master’s degree course is offered. The attendance study is the standard form of the study. The university supports the compatibility of studies with career and family, among other things, through e-learning and blended learning offerings, the integration of vocational projects into studies and research, and the flexibilisation of studies. The free part-time study programme is currently used by approximately 50 % of students and takes place in the evening or on weekends.

3  Summary

Due to changing requirements, social demands and advances in science and not at least the Bologna Process, the mining degree programmes at all university locations in Germany have undergone a transformation and development in recent decades and years. Classical mining degree programmes have been adapted in terms of structure, orientation and content and new, partly international, study programmes have been developed. Not only have the names of the study programmes changed, but the contents and methods have also been adapted and further developed in line with technical developments. Today, mining engineering is taught at three universities (RWTH Aachen University, TU Clausthal, TU Bergakademie Freiberg) and one university of applied sciences (TH Georg Agricola University) in various programmes in German and English. Examples are the B. Sc. Sustainable Raw Materials and Energy Supply and M. Sc. Raw Materials Engineering (RWTH Aachen University), B. Sc. Energy and Raw Materials as well as M. Sc. Mining Engineering (TU Clausthal), Geotechnics and Mining (Dipl.-Ing.) as well as M. Sc. Advanced Mineral Resource Development (TU Bergakademie Freiberg) and the B. Eng. Mineral Resource Engineer and Mineral Resource and Process Engineering (TH Georg Agricola University). In addition to up-to-date content, all programmes are characterised by a high degree of internationalisation, which is equally important as increasing networking and cooperation between the individual universities.