AFRICAN BUZZ •
“ Our partnerships ensure that our postgraduate students and academics work on real problems with real impact,” said Leeuw.“ When students’ research feeds directly into solving industry challenges, everybody benefits – the mines themselves, students and the broader academic community.”
Research excellence Reflecting the high standard of research expertise, five staff members maintained their NRF researcher status throughout 2023 and 2024 and multiple MSc and PhD candidates graduated during the review cycle. He said the school continued to work hard to build academic capacity.
“ Our strategy has been to strengthen our staff profile by attracting and developing scholars who have both industry experience and research depth,” said Leeuw.“ In 2023 and 2024, we welcomed new PhD-qualified academics and supported several staff members in completing their doctorates; this investment is directly linked to the increase in our research output.”
Looking ahead, he expressed confidence that the Wits School of Mining Engineering was on track to break into the global Top 10 in the QS ranking.
“ We have the research momentum, the academic depth, the industry partnerships and the digital infrastructure to get there,” he concluded.“ Our next focus is to expand our international research collaborations, increase postgraduate enrolment and continue building capacity among early-career academics. If we maintain this trajectory, breaking into the Top 10 is certainly achievable.”
Wits School of Mining Engineering 2023 / 24 Biennial Review A soft copy of the biennial review can be downloaded using this link: https:// tinyurl. com / 6bjf3vt9 •
Source: supplied by the School of Mining Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand
Leeuw said the school’ s academics are producing work that speaks directly to industry needs, including areas such as mineral resource governance, mine optimisation, digital mining and rock engineering. www. africanmining. co. za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • March 2026 • 7