Can a decline in Earth Science Education and research be averted by networking, specialist centres and hybrid departments?

University earth science departments are under threat in southern Africa, as in the rest of the world. It is argued here that a good quality and broad based Earth Science Education can be maintained in southern African universities either by networking, or by maintaining departments staffed by a local core of academics, whose teaching is supplemented by block courses conducted by staff from specialised centres also serving industry. These centres should play a vital part in graduate research and maintain research links with the core staff. Positioned between industry and universities, they could promote links between both.