proEXPLO 2026: Geological Engineering Education Must Evolve to Meet the Challenges of Modern Exploration
The proEXPLO 2026 Education Roundtable will address the main challenges facing mining engineering education in the context of digitalization, the energy transition, and the growing complexity of mineral exploration.
Lima, April 21, 2026.- Geological engineering education faces the challenge of closing the gap between traditional educational models and the increasing complexity of modern mineral exploration, driven by digitalization, warned the Director of the Faculty Research Institute and former Head of the Professional School of Mining Engineering at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM).
In this regard, Torres explained that mineral exploration has undergone significant changes in recent years.
“Modern exploration has evolved from predominantly empirical approaches toward highly data-driven frameworks, where value no longer lies solely in classical geological knowledge, but in the ability to integrate, process, and interpret large volumes of multi-source data,” he noted.
As part of his participation in the proEXPLO 2026 Education Roundtable, he stated that this new approach requires professionals with skills in data analysis, 3D modeling, and artificial intelligence, capable of integrating geological, geophysical, and geochemical data using advanced digital tools.
He also warned that the growing demand for critical minerals linked to the energy transition has increased the complexity of exploration projects, requiring future engineers to develop decision-making skills under uncertainty.
“Mining engineers must develop probabilistic thinking, decision-making skills under uncertainty, and a solid understanding of predictive geological models,” he said.
The expert also highlighted the need to incorporate sustainability and social management as core components of university education, given that mineral exploration takes place in contexts where relationships with communities and environmental management are critical to project viability. In this regard, he emphasized that “exploration is no longer conceived solely as a technical activity, but as a process that directly interacts with communities and ecosystems.”
Academia-Industry Linkages
He also pointed out that a gap between academia and industry persists, limiting students’ practical training, and stressed the importance of strengthening collaboration with the productive sector and promoting more opportunities for real-world experience.
He emphasized that universities must move toward more flexible and interdisciplinary curricula, with cross-cutting integration of digital skills, sustainability, and industry engagement, in a context where mining is closely tied to the global energy transition.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening technical, digital, and socio-emotional skills, such as critical thinking, basic programming, the use of specialized software, and the ability to work in multidisciplinary environments.
Finally, he underscored that coordination among academia, industry, and government is key to improving education quality, advancing applied research, and aligning professional training with the real needs of the mining sector.
Within the framework of proEXPLO 2026, the Education Roundtable is emerging as a strategic space for dialog between academia and industry, helping to identify training gaps, share real exploration experiences, and strengthen the link between university education and the sector’s challenges.