Collaboration between the University of Pretoria and the University at Buffalo (NY)

Prof Ina Fourie of the Department of Information Science at the University of Pretoria, and Prof Heidi Julien, of the Department of Information Science at the University at Buffalo (NY) initiated discussions which led to the signing of a memorandum of co-operation between our Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology and their Graduate School of Education in 2014. The Memorandum was reaffirmed and renewed a few years ago.

According to the Agreement of co-operation the two institutions agree to establish and encourage mutually beneficial scientific, technological, educational and other relations based on the following activities:

• Exchange of academic staff members for the purpose of research, teaching and the presentation of special courses in their fields of specialisation.
• Establishment of joint research programmes.
• Exchange of scientific and educational literature produced by either or both of the parties, as well as the exchange of material on the most relevant and topical research undertaken by researchers of both institutions.
• Organisation and conferences, seminars and symposia of mutual interest to the institutions.

With this in mind Prof Ina Fourie, (HoD of Information Science) of the University of Pretoria and Prof Dan Albertson (HoD of Information Science) of the University at Buffalo (NY) are looking forward to the continued collaboration through virtual mutual presentations, as well as visits as soon as COVID restrictions enable international travel.

The collaboration has included the following over the years:

Publications

2013     Fourie, I. & Julien, H. (University at Buffalo, NY). IRS, information services and LIS research – a reminder about affect and the affective paradigm and a question. Library Hi Tech, 32(1):190-201.  (ISI listed).

Conference papers

2019     Fourie, I. & Julien, H. (University at Buffalo, NY): Transfer of academic information literacy skills to workplace contexts. CAIS/ACSI 2019. June 3-June 5, 2019, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. Best Overall Paper Award.

2019     Aharony, N. (Bar-Illan University, Jerusalem), Bronstein, J. (Bar-Illan University, Jerusalem), Ina Fourie, Heidi Julien (University at Buffalo, NY) & VanScoy, A. (University at Buffalo, NY). The LIS Professions: Building on the past to shape the future. CoLIS 10 (Conceptions of Library and Information Science – 10th international conference).  16-19 June 2019, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2019     Fourie, I. & Julien, H. (University at Buffalo, NY). Undergraduate academic information literacy skills – exploring optimal training for the Internet and social media. International Conference on Information Literacy (ICIL), 23 – 26 September 2019, University of North West, South Africa.

Panel discussions

2019     CoLIS2019 panel discussion: The LIS Professions: Building on the Past to Shape the Future (Jenny Bronstein (Bar-Ilan University), Noa Aharony (Bar-Ilan University), Ina Fourie, Heidi Julien (University at Buffalo, NY); Amy VanScoy (University at Buffalo, NY).

2019     Julien, H., Fourie, I. & Mehra, B. Panel discussion at the SIG-Use workshop: ASIS&T conference, Melbourne (Australia).Re-envisioning the impact and engagement of information behaviour research (organized by T. Gorichanaz, Drexel University Philadelphia (USA), W.  Afzal, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga (Australia) and M. Mabi, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada).

2017     International panel discussion for ASIS&T 2017 conference (Washington) initiated by Prof Noa Ahorony (Bar-Illan University, Israel): Information literacy in an era of information uncertainty. (Other collaborators include Prof Louise Limberg, University of Boras, Sweden; Prof Heidi Julien, University at Buffalo, NY; Prof Kendra Albright, Kent State University (USA); and Dr Jenny Bronstein (Bar-Illan University, Israel)

Workshop

2018     Workshop on qualitative research methods – initiative of Dr Alison Pickard (Northumbria University, UK) (iSchool Conference 2018 in Sheffield, UK). With: Prof Theresa Anderson (Sydney University of Technology, Australia), Prof Heidi Julien (University at Buffalo, NY), Prof Kendra Albright (Kent State University, USA), Prof Annemaree Llyod (Boras University, Sweden)

Visits

2019     Prof Amy VanScoy visited our department.

Research seminar during visit

2015     Prof Archie Dick presented a research seminar at the Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Buffalo, New York, USA, 21 September 2015. Title: Librarians and readers in South Africa’s liberation struggle.

Lectures during visits

2016     Professor Val Nesset of the University at Buffalo (NY) presented two public lectures, as well as an online lecture to a group of masters students (MIT 868).

2014     Prof Ina Fourie presented a public lecture on Compassion fatigue and information behaviour at the University at Buffalo (NY).

2013     Prof Heidi Julien of the University at Buffalo (NY) gave two public lectures, a presentation on publishing in top tier journals, a presentation on successful grant application, and a lecture to the honours class for INY714.

Focus group interviews during visit

2014     Prof Fourie held focus group interviews on Qualitative methods at the University at Buffalo (NY).