This joint degree programme, known as the Desmond Tutu Programme, was established by the National Research Foundation (NRF) in 2008 in honour of Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The programme aims to strengthen cooperation between South African institutions of higher education and the VU.

Meiring, in his thesis titled “Theology in the flesh: exploring the corporeal turn from a Southern African perspective”, investigates the corporeal-linguistic turn in various disciplines, and in theology specifically, from a Southern African perspective. He further explores the perceptions of the body throughout the history of the church until the Reformation, how the body was perceived in pre-colonial and post-colonial Southern Africa, as well as during apartheid in South Africa and in apartheid theology.

Meiring obtained a BA degree from the University of the Free State in 1986, a BD degree from UP in 1992 and an MTh degree in practical theology (with distinction) in 2009, also from UP. He has been practising as a narrative theologian since 2010 while completing his PhD, which was supervised jointly by Prof Julian Müller (UP) and Prof Eddy van der Borght (VU).

The Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Prof Johan Buitendag, who was co-examiner of Meiring’s thesis, represented UP at the conferment in Amsterdam. The NRF has granted Dr Meiring a postdoctoral fellowship and he will continue with his studies in UP’s Faculty of Theology under the joint supervision of Prof Buitendag and Prof Van der Borght.

The Desmond Tutu Programme accommodates 18 PhD students during its first phase (2008‒2014), which focuses on the theme, “Youth, sport and reconciliation”. In its second phase (2015‒2020) scholarships will be awarded to 100 PhD students focusing on the theme, “Bridging diversities for academic advancement”, in a wide range of disciplines.