Theology and Religion

Local learning, global partners and sustainable development

By Tanya van Wyk, Phenyo Montsho, Ninnaku Oberholzer and Dana Mahan

In partnership with Humboldt University in Germany, students from the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria participated in a master class of the International Network on Religious Communities and Sustainable Development from 31 May to 11 June 2021.

Thirty students and PhD candidates attended this ambitious two-week intensive course, deepening their knowledge in various methodological classes and lectures by international students and expanding their empirical research skills. Moreover, they went on to present highly interesting projects during the Religious Communities and Sustainable Development international conference.

This group of emerging and established local and global students engaged with one another entirely online, due to the travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19, using Tensions of Transdisciplinarity as their theme. One member of the group, Phenyo Montsho, reported that, ‘Any opportunity to engage with leading researchers is awesome, and the conference provided exactly that — a platform with various local and international experts on topics I am passionate about. Whilst I still had hoped for a physical meetup, the encounter was truly thrilling in both the content and the presentation, and it was truly a privilege to be afforded that opportunity. I now have friends from across the globe who have helped me develop my skills and knowledge on matters I care about.’

Another participant, Ninnaku Oberholzer, confirmed that, ‘The University of Pretoria and Humboldt University collaboration on Religious Communities and Sustainable development has been a big part of my life and academic growth for the past two years. The collaboration has given me the opportunity to engage with students in different disciplines from different contexts and cultures and has taught me valuable research and communication skills in order to succeed in an ever-growing and inter-disciplinary field of study.

Whilst COVID-19 has affected our ability to travel and connect with one another, our representatives from both universities worked hard to ensure that the collaboration could move forward and succeed. Luckily, online teaching platforms gave us the ability to move forward with our sessions, still connect with each other, and continue our research in remote locations.’

Though the pandemic has brought with it new and complex challenges, the students, lecturers and researchers that participated in the Religious Communities and Sustainable Development master class have demonstrated that the process of teaching and learning cannot only carry on, but that it can also have a lasting, positive impact on the world, the one we all share.

Dr Tanya van Wyk

Phenyo Montsho

Ninnaku Oberholzer

Some of the UP PhD participants in the international conference.