Priorities for the upcoming joint action include collaboration to sustain the university’s engineering, metallurgy and earth science student numbers along with research and infrastructure overhauls.

New and upgraded facilities for UQ’s engineering precinct are on the table as well as redevelopment plans for the institution’s School of Earth Sciences.

In a sign of these climate change fearing times, an expansion of research to support a sustainable low emissions energy industry is another priority.

“In Queensland and globally, the sector faces some of the great engineering, research and public policy challenges and opportunities of this generation,” UQ vice-chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said.

“This is heightened by increasing pressures for sustainability and the professional skills that this requires.

“UQ has responded by increasing engineering student numbers and establishing the Sustainable Minerals Institute with globally recognised research strengths in minerals processing, mining geology, water, environment, social responsibility, health and safety – but more progress is needed.

“Stronger working relationships with industry groups such as QRC, and its member companies, will improve the value we can add to the sector's operations, to the intellectual capital and wealth of the nation, and to national and global responses to sustainability issues.”

QRC chief executive Michael Roche welcomed the plans as a new era in a longstanding relationship with the university.

“UQ's expertise and reputation in the industry makes it a pivotal university in QRC's vision for higher education in Queensland,” he said.

QRC member companies already partner with the university in funding a wide range of resource-related areas.

The National Institute of Labour Studies projected in June that Queensland’s minerals industry workforce would grow 53% from 44,000 to 67,000 people by 2020.