Long live the Mining State!

On Tuesday, 4 December, namely the St Barbara’s Day, a traditional mining procession moved through the Krakow streets, headed by a mining student representative accompanied by an entourage of students in uniforms carrying mining lamps. Behind the helm, the university authorities rode in carriages, i.e. the AGH University Rector, Vice-Rectors, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Resource Management, and deans of faculties part of the mining division. The vibrant parade also featured employees, students, and alumni of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Resource Management, as well as members of the mining community from Krakow and nearby towns. All gathered marched across the Main Square to the University Collegiate Church of St Anne for a special mass for all miners from the Małopolska region. It is worth mentioning that this very special event reminds Krakow residents and tourists that it is here that the oldest mining university in Poland is located.

As usual, a vital part of the mining celebrations were the conferences.

• The International Barbórka Conference was dedicated to shaping the future of the raw materials sector through education, innovation, and cooperation. Thematic panels discussed the most important challenges and opportunities facing the industry, focussing on raw material value chains, responsible business, and the role of education in the development of sustainable industries. A highlight of the agenda was the presentation of a new course by the EIT, "Raw Materials in the Transformation of Processes and Regions”, an innovative educational path that prepares specialists for the challenges of the modern raw materials economy.
• The 66th St Barbara’s Conference of Student Research Clubs brought together nearly 600 speakers, almost 100 of whom from abroad. Up to 424 papers were delivered in 24 thematic sessions and 75 AGH University student research clubs presented their projects. It is one of the most important student events in Poland.

Barbórka culminated in a ceremony held in the AGH University assembly hall, attended by distinguished guests, representatives of government and local authorities, economic and scientific institutions, supervisory bodies, mining associations, and rectors and deans of a number of universities. The ceremony also provided a perfect opportunity to present state and mining awards and distinctions. Then, the recipients of the Maspex Foundation’s scholarships for doctoral students were honoured, and the 66th St Barbara’s Conference of Student Research Clubs was summarised, honouring the authors of the best papers in each section.

Right after the ceremony in the assembly hall, the traditional “jump over the leather skin”, the induction of young adepts into the mining state, took place in the university hallways and the representative hall. In the beautiful scenery, to the music of the AGH University Representative Orchestra and the Song and Dance Ensemble Krakus, a symbolic group of students of Mining Engineering have become members of the mining community. At the end of the ceremony, first-year students received the university banner and fire in a symbolic gesture to show the continuity of generations.

The AGH University mining celebrations ended with a miner’s feast in the Wieliczka Salt Mine.