Twelve years ago, four mining departments in different European universities decided to join forces in a joint curriculum, bringing their students together for one year. During that year the students would visit each university for a couple of months, doing specific courses there.

In 1996, the first edition of the European Mining Course (EMC) was established and has been an annual phenomenon ever since. Two years later, it was followed by the European Mineral Engineering Course (EMEC), and in 2003 by the European Geotechnical and Environmental Course (EGEC).

These three courses have been united in one program with three specializations: the Erasmus Mundus Minerals and Environmental Programme (EMMEP).