The International Centre of Excellence from the renowned Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) at The University of Queensland (UQ), was established in Chile in 2014 as part of the Corfo program for the “Attraction of International R&D Centres of Excellence for Competitivity.”

SMI-ICE-Chile seeks to position itself at the cutting edge of research, innovation as well as technological and capacity transfer in the mining industry of Chile and the region. The International Centre of Excellence has the objective to increase and complement productivity and environmental and social management of mining operations in Chile.

We have the mission to create a new collaborative force of global knowledge about mining in Chile, that builds human capital, provides innovative research results and generates effective transfer of technology to industry. Our vision is to fundamentally improve the productivity and environmental management of Chilean mining operations.

SMI-ICE-Chile develops innovative research, technologies and training platforms to address the primary challenges faced by the mining sector. Learn about our expertise (here) and our team (here).

SUSTAINABLE MINERALS INSTITUTE


The Sustainable Minerals Institute opened in 2001 as a new wave of thinking swept through the international minerals industry, centred on the concept of Sustainable Development.

more information

In early 2000, over 20 international mining companies and other commercial and non-commercial sponsors, working through the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, commissioned the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development Project. The Project aimed to examine the role of the minerals sector in contributing to Sustainable Development.

Anticipating some of the outcomes of the MMSD Project, UQ developed a proposal for submission to the Queensland State Government to expand the existing minerals-related research capacity and address the wider social and sustainability challenges facing the global resource industry.

In mid 2000, the Queensland State Government announced support for the proposal through an award of $10million and the Sustainable Minerals Institute was established. At the outset, SMI consisted of four Centres:

This was expanded to include the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining in 2001, the Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry in 2004, and the International Centre of Excellence in Chile (SMI-ICE Chile) in 2014.

THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND


The University of Queensland (UQ) is one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions. We strive for excellence through the creation, preservation, transfer and application of knowledge. For more than a century, we have educated and worked with outstanding people to deliver knowledge leadership for a better world.

more information

World rankings

UQ ranks among the world’s top universities, as measured by several key independent rankings, including the CWTS Leiden Ranking 2018 (32)*, the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities (40), U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings (42), QS World University Rankings (46), Academic Ranking of World Universities (54), and Times Higher Education World University Rankings (66).

180 UQ staff (including honorary and adjunct appointments) and emeritus professors are Fellows of Australia’s five learned academies, AAS, AAHMS, ASSA, ATSE, and AAH.

UQ is one of only three Australian members of the global Universitas 21, a founding member of the Group of Eight (Go8) universities, and a member of Universities Australia.

Teaching and learning excellence

Skilled and motivated teachers are integral to providing positive teaching and learning outcomes for students.

UQ has a strong focus on teaching excellence, having won more Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) than any other in the country and attracting the majority of Queensland’s highest academic achievers, as well as top interstate and overseas students.

We are committed to excellence in learning experiences and outcomes for our students.

edX

In late 2013, UQ joined edX – the world’s leading consortium of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), jointly founded by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

UQ is a charter member and has a seat on the University Advisory Board of the not-for-profit edX enterprise. The UQx project in the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation works with the University’s academic teaching staff to create and present a range of MOOCs through the edX platform and to further the goals of the UQ Student Strategy with respect to on-campus teaching.

UQx has 48 MOOCs, four MicroMasters, two XSeries and one online master’s degree program running on edX with more under development. UQx MOOCs cover subjects drawn from many disciplines along with meta-skills courses in employability and teamwork. Since releasing its first course on edX in March 2014, UQx has registered more than 2.98 million participants representing every country.

Student experience

The Student Employability Centre provides students with opportunities, choices and support that will enable them to achieve their individual aspirations, to become leaders in their chosen fields and to positively impact on the society in which they live. In addition to flexibility in program choice, students can enjoy a wide range of activities during their studies, including global experiences, participating in conferences and research opportunities, accessing more than 220 clubs and societies, and making use of a wide range of sporting and cultural facilities.

In 2019, the University had more than 55,300 students including 16,000 international students from 134 countries. UQ’s more than 18,600 postgraduate students include one of Australia’s largest PhD cohorts, celebrating its 14,800th PhD graduation in 2019.

UQ is continually discovering and practising innovative approaches to fostering student retention and employability. We work towards achieving our strategic objectives by partnering with students to develop new initiatives to enhance the student experience.

Notable alumni

The University’s outstanding 268,000-plus alumni include a Nobel laureate, an Academy Award winner, and leaders in government, law, science, public service and the arts. The University celebrates its alumni as its greatest assets. Their achievements make the University great and, in return, we work hard to strengthen our reputation.

Research focus

The UQ Graduate School offers significant support to higher degree by research (HDR) students through a broad range of scholarships and research travel awards, dedicated office spaces, skills training, and professional development opportunities. We introduced the Career Development Framework – another first nationally – designed to accelerate HDR students’ career development and enhance their employability. Evidence indicates that the University’s research excels in both quality and impact.

General Enquiries

contacto@smiicechile.cl

+56 2 2307 9710

SECTIONS
EXPERTISE
NEWS

©SMI-ICE-Chile
Sustainable Minerals Institute International Centre of Excellence Chile
The University of Queensland

© The University of Queensland     ABN: 63 942 912 684      CRICOS: 00025B      TEQSA: PRV12080

Privacy Settings
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Youtube
Consent to display content from - Youtube
Vimeo
Consent to display content from - Vimeo
Google Maps
Consent to display content from - Google