Paper short abstract:

Throughout the 19th century, the Bergakademie Freiberg served as a model for the establishment of mining education in and outside Europe. While previous studies focused on the dissemination and adaption of the model, this paper examines the backlashes of the transfer process.

Paper long abstract:

The Bergakademie Freiberg was founded in 1765 due to economic and political considerations of the Saxon State after the Seven Years War. As its purpose was the formation of mining officials for the state's mining administration, the teaching concept combined theoretical and practical knowledge in accordance with the fiscal interests of the state. During the late 18th and 19th century, the Bergakademie attracted Spanish and American students, who used the acquired knowledge to establish new mining academies like the "Real Seminario de Minería" in Mexico. Albeit the creation of new institutions of mining education changed the academic landscape significantly, the transfer process has mostly been regarded as a one-way road. Following the approach of an "entangled history", the paper focuses on the interdependencies between the institutions of mining education. It shows that the reform of the Bergakademie Freiberg after the liberalization of the mining sector in the 19th century was as much influenced by the state's policy of resources as by new teaching models established in other countries.