During the first week of October 2019, over 100 industry professionals, scientists and educators from 19 European countries came together in Zagreb, Croatia to discuss the importance of innovation in and through higher education related to the raw materials sector. Innovation is closely linked with higher education and ultimately impacts the GDP of any country. Eastern and Southern Eastern Europe (ESEE) has a unique mineral potential that provides an opportunity to increase the innovation capacity of the ESEE region.

One of the main focuses of the Future of Raw Materials Higher Education Conference was university-business cooperation as a tool to integrate the knowledge triangle, and several speakers addressed its importance, sharing examples of good practice and inspiring others to innovate in and through education. Another highlighted topic was digitalisation and how to develop digital skills through digital pedagogy in resource engineer education. Workshops were organised around these topics in order to give insights and inspire participants, who were very engaged and provided positive feedback, with feedback surveys indicating an 89% satisfaction rate in the event.