EMerald: Master in Resources Engineering (Innovative Education in Geometallurgy and Circular Economy)

The Challenge

The EMerald master‘s program was created to answer the urgent need expressed by the European Union to create a resource-efficient Europe. As the EU recognized the importance of mineral and metal resources in our modern economy, it also realized that the raw materials industries were facing a critical skills shortage.

The EMerald master’s program aims to train a new generation of engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset and a global vision of the value chain, putting the extraction of mineral and metal resources on a circle that continues by collecting end-of-life products and recovering valuable materials out of urban mines (circular economy). Therefore, the master’s course will focus on two aspects:

• Bridging the gap between geological exploration and mineral processing by offering innovative education in geometallurgy
• Helping to close the loop in a resource-efficient way by forming professionals who know the processing challenges and the need to meet targets in terms of recyclability

Participating Universities

• University of Liège -  Belgium
• University of Lorraine, ENSG Nancy -  France
• Luleå Institute of Technology -  Sweden
• TU Bergakademie Freiberg -  Germany

Our modern lifestyle relies on raw materials. From the iron and steel of our railway infrastructure to the gold and silver in the circuitry of smartphones: raw materials are everywhere. Even the transition to a climate-neutral future requires cobalt for electric vehicles, lithium for rechargeable batteries, silicon for photovoltaics and solar panels, and rare earth elements for wind turbines that generate renewable energy

As the world grows smaller and more hyper-connected, the impact of society on the Earth has never been more visible. It is now clear that we need to shift to a circular economy to responsibly use the Earth’s finite resources. But what can just one individual do to help? More than you think! Real change requires courage, innovative thinking, and collective action – the same skill set that EIT RawMaterials Academy - EMerald looks for in prospective students. Are you ready to mine your raw talent, help shape a more circular, green economy, and create sustainable solutions for tomorrow?

What do we offer students?

EIT RawMaterials Academy - EMerald offers students a unique opportunity to learn in a dynamic environment, focusing on real-life challenges. Awarded by the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), a body of the European Union, the EIT Label is a certificate of quality that is granted only to excellent educational programs at the master's and doctoral levels.

As a student of an EIT-Labelled program from EIT RawMaterials Academy - EMerald, you’ll be part of the largest European raw materials network with more than 120 core and associate partners and 180 project partners, including higher education professionals, researchers, and industry experts from over 20 European countries. As an EIT Label student, you will be welcomed into this network and will champion and contribute to the EIT RawMaterials goals of finding new, innovative solutions to secure the sustainable supply of raw materials across the value chain: from exploration, mining, and extraction, to mineral processing, recycling and the movement towards a circular economy. EIT RawMaterials aims to equip a new generation of innovators in Europe with the necessary entrepreneurial mindset for designing and delivering materials solutions. You’ll also get the chance to collaborate internationally and develop sustainable solutions to pressing economic, environmental, and societal challenges. And long after you graduate, you can stay connected via EIT RawMaterials Alumni.

What to expect?

• Thesis internship placements at leading European companies
• Membership of the EIT RawMaterials Alumni community
• ‘Learning by doing’ with challenge-based courses that focus on real-life problems
• Study tours and visits to innovative companies and industrial sites
• Exciting new ways of learning: online courses, virtual and augmented reality, and MOOCs
• Courses designed to nurture start-up ideas with accelerators and incubators
• Course modules dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation skills
• EIT RawMaterials Innovation support: business plan competitions, innovation boot camps, seed funding
• Expertise in a raw materials discipline – a comprehensive understanding of the entire raw materials value chain
• EIT RawMaterials summer schools and interdisciplinary courses
• European mobility – a study in at least two European countries

Exclusive activities and support for EIT-Labelled students

Students in EIT-Labelled master’s programs within the EIT RawMaterials Academy - EMerald receive a range of additional opportunities to boost their innovation and entrepreneurship skills, grow their network in the raw materials sector, and gain the experience they need to thrive.

These exclusive events bring together EIT-labelled students from across the Master School and form the basis of your shared learning experiences, making you a full member of the EIT RawMaterials community.

Participating Universities

• University of Liege - Belgium
• TU Freiberg - Germany
• Luleå University of Technology - Sweden
• University of Lorraine, France - Metz