A group of Postgraduate Students, from the Network for Education and Research in Europe, visit the Merensky Library on 23 October 2024

“I feel like you opened my eyes to an unknown world today! This was a fabulous introduction and I am thrilled to dive deeper into my research. Thank you for the support and willingness to help.”

“The UP library offers an excellent service. I contacted Ms Christine Nel who gave me helpful instructions as to what the service offers were and how it works. I requested the sources that I needed for my thesis and received them electronically within 2 days. This is an amazing service.”

These two comments are from students who are registered at the University of Pretoria for M&D through the partnership between the university and the Network for Education and Research in Europe (GBFE: Gesellschaft fuer Bildung und Forschung in Europa) in the Faculty of Theology and Religion.

As an Academic Liaison Officer in this partnership, I make it a priority for any visiting external supervisors and/or GBFE personnel from Europe to meet Ms Christine Nel, to be exposed to the library and to the broad spectrum of services that are offered, specifically for the Faculty of Theology and Religion. On this level, Ms Nel is passionate about supervisors being able to take advantage of the services and about the supervisors optimising their exposure through their publications.

In October 2023, Ms Nel warmly welcomed a Study Group of post-graduate students from GBFE. This included a personal overview of the services, an introduction to various services in the tutorial room, and showing them the department in the library specifically set up for the Faculty of Theology and Religion.

One of the students commented in his feedback on the study trip: “Especially the contact with Ms Nel at the library was very helpful for the literature service of UP.” The virtual services offered by the department became a reality for the students in this group, and our thanks go to Ms. Nel, who took the time to connect to the students and give them exposure to the services that the library offers to them.

As the dean of GBFE, Prof Volker Kessler, remarked: “This service is unique, especially if compared to studying at a German or Swiss state university. They would  never offer such a service, tailored to the needs of the individual student.”

Further services that are beneficial for the European students are the links provided by Ms Nel regarding general procedures (for example Research Proposal and Ethical Clearance Application). These are posted on the GBFE Website to make them available to all our students, should they have any queries regarding processes in the faculty. We also receive any updates to these procedures, which is as necessary as receiving the initial information.

As Academic Liaison, it is reassuring for me to know that when I encourage the students or supervisors to contact Ms Nel to request a personal virtual instruction appointment, they will receive the support that they need for their research studies.

The study group in front of the Faculty of Theology and Religion Studies.