Global miner Rio Tinto and The University of Western Australia have signed a multi-million dollar partnership that will focus on creating a sustainable supply of graduates and expertise for the mining industry. 

 

Rio Tinto will invest $3 million with UWA as part of a long-term objective to foster skills for the future and build education capability.

 

Under the new arrangement, UWA has become Rio Tinto’s first partner in its Global Education Partnerships Programme.  The Programme will establish a worldwide network of leading universities to generate and foster an appropriate expertise base for the resources industries.

 

The UWA partnership will be built around a series of education-related initiatives including a strong scholarship framework that will provide support and access to mining related education for more than 40 students.  Supporting Rio Tinto and UWA's focus on building a supply of diverse talent, the scholarship framework also aims to encourage more female, international and Indigenous students into these study areas.

 

Vice-Chancellor of The University of Western Australia, Professor Paul Johnson, said the partnership will provide a diverse group of scholars with access to real-life work environments and work experience, and increase the University's attractiveness to potential students.

 

"Increasing the number of scholarships will take UWA closer to being counted among the top 50 universities in the world by 2050."

 

In 2012 Rio Tinto introduced more than 300 graduates into its business, joining the 4,000-plus graduate and post-graduate staff already employed in the increasingly high-tech operations.