Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction
800-hour online Postgraduate Diploma in planning and control for mining/agriculture/construction. 8 modules with ISO 17757:2019, ISO 18497 and ROS 2 with Nav2. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction — studying from Malta
Malta is developing a niche in digital and software-intensive technologies, including connected mobility and vehicle-related software. The island's strong information technology and telecommunications base provides a natural foundation for work on advanced driver assistance, vehicle data and embedded software. Opportunities tend to arise with software houses, technology consultancies and multinational companies with engineering centres on the island. Professionals working in this area benefit from familiarity with functional safety standards and the software development practices used across the automotive value chain.
Fees for Malta: €1,790 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Who regulates engineering practice and vehicle safety relevant to ADAS in Malta?
Engineering as a profession in Malta is regulated through the Chamber of Engineers (KSU) under the Engineering Profession Act, which governs the use of the title 'engineer'. Vehicle type approval and roadworthiness are handled by Transport Malta, and EU-level vehicle regulations apply. A SEIUM qualification is a private one and is not accredited by a national body, so its recognition depends on employers or the relevant authority.
Which Maltese employers could use ADAS or software-defined vehicle skills?
Demand in Malta is mainly from software, electronics and digital engineering firms, some serving automotive clients abroad, along with vehicle service and fleet operators. Large autonomous-vehicle deployment is not a major local sector, so roles are often remote or international. Employers will assess your portfolio, experience and any formal credentials, so present the qualification alongside concrete project work.
Can I study this at my own pace from Malta, and what language and workload should I expect?
Yes. Programmes are 100% online and taught in English, with an assigned technical tutor and a final project. No student visa is needed to study from home. Time zone is usually not a barrier since you study asynchronously, but confirm the schedule with the institute. Plan around your working hours, and ask about instalment payments and employer sponsorship.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the architecture of autonomous off-road machines.
Model articulated vehicles and their interaction with the terrain.
Plan routes and coverage in operations.
Design local planners with obstacle avoidance.
Implement robust tracking controllers.
Coordinate fleets of autonomous machines.
Apply the safety regulations for autonomous machines.
Who it's for
- Motion planning engineer looking to specialise in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction.
- Machinery control engineer looking to specialise in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction.
- Mining automation engineer looking to specialise in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction.
- Precision agriculture specialist looking to specialise in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction.
- Machinery safety engineer looking to specialise in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction.
- Fleet systems engineer looking to specialise in Planning and Control for Mining/Agriculture/Construction.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the mining sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO 17757:2019
- ISO 18497
- ISO 25119
- ISO 13849-1:2023
- Reglamento (UE) 2023/1230
- ISO 11783
- ISO 23725:2024
- ISO 12100:2010
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Autonomous mining trucks and AHS systems1.2Autonomous tractors and combine harvesters1.3Automated excavators, compactors and dumpers1.4Levels of autonomy in machinery1.5Control architecture: mission, planning and control1.6Fleet operation and central supervision1.7Productivity and cost constraints1.8Differences between manufacturers and retrofit1.9Deployment experiences in Australia and Chile1.10Case study: analysis of an autonomous mining operation
2.1Kinematics of articulated vehicles2.2Models of vehicles with trailers and implements2.3Tracked vehicles and skid steering2.4Wheel-terrain interaction and terramechanics2.5Bekker and Wong models2.6Variable load dynamics2.7Lateral stability and rollover on slopes2.8Field parameter identification2.9Models for predictive control2.10Laboratory: kinematic model of an articulated dumper
3.1Coverage planning in agriculture3.2Swath patterns and headland turns3.3Route planning in open-pit mines3.4Haul road graphs3.5Planning with slope and load constraints3.6A*, Hybrid A* and RRT* algorithms3.7Dubins and Reeds-Shepp curves3.8Excavation task planning3.9Productivity optimisation3.10Practice: coverage plan for a plot with Fields2Cover
4.1Planning on traversability maps4.2Dynamic window and lattice planners4.3Avoidance with safety margins4.4Interaction with manned vehicles4.5Priorities at mine track crossings4.6Speed adapted to visibility and terrain4.7Replanning when blocked4.8Management of exclusion zones4.9Validation in simulation4.10Workshop: local planner with Nav2 on uneven terrain
5.1Pure Pursuit and Stanley controllers5.2Model-based predictive control (MPC)5.3Slip compensation5.4Speed control on slopes5.5Implement and tool control5.6Excavation and bucket loading control5.7Precision guidance with GNSS RTK5.8Tuning and robustness5.9Implementation on embedded controllers5.10Laboratory: tracking MPC for a tractor in MATLAB
6.1Mining dispatch systems6.2Task and route allocation6.3Vehicle coordination and virtual traffic lights6.4Field communications: private LTE and mesh6.5Interoperability with ISO 23725 in mining6.6ISOBUS communication under ISO 117836.7Productivity indicators6.8Fleet maintenance management6.9Integration with operational systems6.10Case study: dispatch of a haulage fleet
7.1Safety of autonomous machines under ISO 177577.2Agricultural robotics under ISO 184977.3Agricultural functional safety under ISO 251197.4Safety-related parts of control systems under ISO 138497.5Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery7.6Autonomous operation zones and access control7.7Emergency stops and remote stop7.8Risk management in operations7.9Staff training7.10Practice: risk analysis of an autonomous operation zone
8.1Selection of machine and application8.2Vehicle model8.3Mission planning8.4Local planning8.5Controller design8.6Fleet coordination8.7Safety analysis8.8Validation in simulation8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ROS 2 with Nav2, MATLAB/Simulink, Gazebo, Fields2Cover, CasADi, in free, academic or evaluation versions. The work is studied using real simulation procedures for planners on uneven terrain, path-tracking tests with GNSS RTK, and productivity analysis of autonomous fleets. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Understand the architecture of autonomous off-road machines.
Model articulated vehicles and their interaction with the terrain.
Plan routes and coverage in operations.
Design local planners with obstacle avoidance.
Implement robust tracking controllers.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The work is carried out with ROS 2 with Nav2, MATLAB/Simulink, Gazebo, Fields2Cover, CasADi. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM in-house diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification issued by the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the higher programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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