Researchers at the BGS hope that by making geological surveys global, they can encourage "big science" - research that no one country or geological survey could do on its own.
After a career spanning 35 years at the British Geological Survey, Mike went on to help set up the MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management at Oxford University.
With the addition of the 3D printers, the school's geological minds are now rubbing elbows with people from fields such as biology, computer science and even art.
The African geoscience community through the Geological Society of Africa is engaged in promoting awareness of the IGCP and its benefits and directing these to African Earth science leaders and institutions.