Sustainable local development and the mining industry

Local governments in developing countries increasingly face the challenge to develop sustainable settings in which businesses can thrive, while simultaneously increasing quality of life in local communities. Businesses can play an important role in local economic and social development by offering the local community job opportunities and generating economic growth. In turn this may help reduce poverty in developing countries. At the same time, local businesses’ activities might also result in costs for local communities, like increased traffic and tensions between workers and locals. 

Therefore, to enhance sustainable economic development, a complex interplay between local governments, industry organizations, businesses and other actors is required. Adopting a stakeholder approach and focusing on local development, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and economics, this summer school addresses these key issues.

Topics and activities

The summer school builds on the idea of challenge-based learning. In the first stage of the summer school, lectures by staff and practitioners from the industry will provide a theoretical basis about local economic development and the connection between stakeholders at different institutional levels. Moreover, students will be introduced to the Tanzanian context, culture and the gypsum mining industry in Tanzania.

Participants will then be introduced to the challenge they have to answer to at the end of the summer school by working in international teams to further analyse the local economic and social conditions of the Same district which is home to the gypsum mining industry, with the aim of building on the insights they learned about at the beginning. Based on secondary data as well as valuable knowledge from local participants also taking part in the summer school, students gain an understanding of the district and industry. The lectures and teamwork serve as an input for the field visit to the Same District Council and the mining site in Makanya Ward (Industry). Participants will be given a chance to ask formal and informal questions to officials of the Same District Council (Local Government) and to the local people (local communities) in Makanya Ward.

Challenge during the summer school (Final assignment)

At the end of the summer school, as an answer to the challenge, the participants need to come up with advice to give at least three parties; the Mining Industry, the local government (province and local level) and the local communities regarding how they can collaborate best to meet their goals. Based on lectures of staff, practitioners and interviews during the field visit, participants will be able to develop this advice in groups and present it on the last day.