For ten IMUK students it was the highlight of the winter semester: They spent an exciting project week in South Africa. Under the guidance of HNU professors Prof. Dr. Dany Meyer and Prof. Dr. Stefanie Schöberl, the excursion participants gained a deep insight into South African history and developed digitization strategies as well as first prototypes for a modern web presence of the Mayibuye Archive. The Mayibuye Archive at the UWC-Robben Island Museum consists of unique multimedia collections that depict the various facets of resistance to apartheid both within and beyond the borders of South Africa. Thousands of originals are carefully archived and processed for historical research in the categories of Historical Letters and Documents, Audio-Visual Recordings, Photographs, and Art and Artifacts. The goal of this project was to make the Mayibuye Archive's many historical artifacts accessible to a young audience through an age-appropriate web presence.
Successful joint work on the digital processing of historical artifacts
Right at the beginning of the field trip, students were able to see for themselves the scope of the archive and gain a better understanding of each area of the archive through tours and Q&A sessions. In each category, specific artifacts were selected for digital processing and worked on in mixed groups - each with students from both universities and different disciplines. Working together, the students got to know each other and were able to build up professional know-how as well as learn a lot about intercultural communication and collaboration and agile project management. For the groups, it was particularly important not only to develop a modern, user-friendly design, but also to present the artifacts in their concrete context in an emotionally appealing way. Of course, new technologies were also tested, such as the 3D digitization of objects and their integration into corresponding interactive elements of the web sites. The daily stand-up meetings helped to inform each other about the project's progress and to achieve the set goal in this short period of time: to present an executable prototype at the end of each week.
On the last day of the excursion, all groups were able to present their successful websites in a final presentation. The remarkable results of an intensive project week were presented and discussed in front of all project participants of the Department of Information Systems (IS) of the UWC, employees of the archive and members of the department's management. The results could be handed over to the Head of the Archives and will be used directly for the re-design of the Mayibuye Archives' web presence.
Not only work, also pleasure: Sightseeing and get-togethers in Cape Town
The cultural aspect and the extracurricular exchange were not neglected during this project week: Immediately after arrival, we went down Chapman's Peak Drive to the Cape of Good Hope and then to the penguins. A joint hike with the South African partners to Lions Head with an unforgettable view of Cape Town and Table Mountain were real highlights. A small closing party and a joint wine tasting in the Stellenbosch region with the South African students formed a fitting conclusion to an instructive and varied week. Especially the intercultural exchange and the successful cooperation remained in positive memory of the students.
This project is in the good tradition of a long-standing partnership between the HNU and the UWC and is a further building block of the continuous cooperation between the two universities.
Contact person at HNU
Prof. Dr. Dany Meyer (opens in a new window)
