“Mining, Materials Science & Circular Manufacturing: The Future of Africa and Europe”
Austrian–South African Symposium 2026
Connecting Africa and Europe for Sustainable Industrial Transformation
On 5 October 2026, an international symposium on “Mining, Materials Science & Circular Manufacturing: The Future of Africa and Europe” will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, hosted at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).
The event will bring together leading experts, researchers, universities, industry representatives, and policy stakeholders from Africa and Europe. It will provide a platform for exchange, collaboration, and the co-development of solutions in sustainable mining, critical minerals, materials science, circular manufacturing, and industrial innovation.
The symposium is initiated by Montanuniversität Leoben and organised in close collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand, with support from strategic partners including the Austrian Embassy in South Africa, EURECA-PRO, and AfriSMAT. Its aim is to establish a long-term strategic partnership between African and European institutions focused on sustainable industrial development and research collaboration.
Objectives
The symposium aims to strengthen long-term Africa–Europe research and innovation partnerships by fostering academic exchange, mobility, and co-supervision opportunities, while supporting industry–academia collaboration.
It seeks to enable the development of joint interdisciplinary research proposals, build sustainable cooperation frameworks between institutions, and contribute to green industrialisation and technological advancement across both continents.
Local Partner
The symposium is organised in close collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, South Africa, which will serve as the host institution and key African partner.
Wits is one of South Africa’s leading universities and provides a strong academic and research platform for engagement in areas aligned with the symposium, including mining, geosciences, materials science, sustainability, and innovation.
Through its academic expertise and wider research ecosystem, Wits is well positioned to support meaningful exchange between African and European institutions.
Participants
Participants will include representatives of Montanuniversität Leoben, the University of the Witwatersrand, AfriSMAT, EURECA-PRO, and other African and European universities and research institutions.
The delegation will be complemented by representatives from ministries, industry, and nongovernmental
organisations.
Significance for Austrian–African Cooperation
The Building Bridges Initiative: Africa & EU represents a strategic step in strengthening Austria–Africa cooperation in the fields of mining, materials science, sustainability, and industrial innovation.
By bringing together complementary strengths — Africa’s resource potential and emerging innovation ecosystems, together with Europe’s research infrastructure and technological expertise — the symposium creates a powerful platform for long-term, impact-driven collaboration.
Expected Outcomes
The symposium will initiate the development of a long-term Austrian–African network in the field of Mining, Materials Science & Circular Manufacturing.
It aims to foster joint academic programmes, research initiatives, and collaborative project proposals, while creating opportunities for new institutional partnerships and cooperation
pathways.
Expected outcomes include the identification of potential funding opportunities, strengthened research and innovation networks, and a clear roadmap for long-term Africa–Europe cooperation.