LU, Cambrian sign mining studies agreement

Laurentian University and Cambrian College have signed an articulation agreement to increase mining-related training and education possibilities in Northern Ontario.

As of September 2007, graduates of Cambrian College’s three-year Geological Engineering Technology program will be able to obtain a B.Sc. degree in Earth Sciences by pursuing two years of additional studies at Laurentian University.

“This is an important day for Cambrian’s students and for the future growth of the mining and mineral resources industry, both locally and globally,” said Cambrian College president Sylvia Barnard, in a news release.

“Through this agreement, we are enhancing opportunities for Cambrian graduates to become specialists in the industry through the acquisition of technological and theoretical knowledge.

"This agreement will benefit both our graduates and the minerals industry and is a perfect example of how our educational institutions work collaboratively to enhance the future economic growth of our community and its integral industries.”

With the recognition Sudbury is one, if not the most important centre of mining innovation in the province, the new articulation agreement is a significant part of a larger mining vision adopted by the university in 2004.

“This joint program is situated in an exceedingly wealthy industrial environment and a perfect natural setting,” said Judith Woodsworth, president of Laurentian University. “It will respond to the mining industry’s need for highly specialized technicians with skills and ideas that lead to innovation.”

The agreement is the first articulation agreement between Laurentian and Cambrian in the area of Earth Sciences and one of many the university and college have signed over the past 15 years in an effort to enhance student mobility between the university and the college.