Annual Review Meeting in a few lines

The last day of the Annual Review Meeting was devoted to research support components of the UEM-Sweden programme, such as ours. Cross cutting issues of importance to the whole university, research management, gender issues, ICT and library resources, were discussed. In the afternoon, the closing session summarised the week and the Vice-Rector Professor Amalia Uamusse held a closing remark reminding us of our important work, as well as areas to improve and urged us to share best practices.

The library sub-programme reported on its achivements and they have to do with acquisition and sharing of e-resources, acquisition of equipment, admission of six master's students to distance studies at the University of Borås, professional trainings of librarians in a series of workshops. And more. Some challenges were also discussed, one of which has to do with procurement procedures that affect timely delivery of results. That had been resolved, however.

Please do not hesitate to ask us about plans and reports. 

UX -- User Experience on the last day of the workshop

The last day of the workshop, facilitated by the trainers Malin Utter and Tove Lekselius and translator Democrito Manyissa, focused on user experience, UX.

Facilitators Tove Lekselius, Malin Utter translated by the UEM Central Library's own Democrito Manyissa

As the other days, there were a lot of group sessions, but it seems that they were extra popular/useful today. This, of course, wouldn't have been possible without the input from all wonderful participants.

All participants and facilitators in front of the library.

Customer Service Workshop

This week, the Central Library Programme of the UEM-Sweden Programme organises a workshop on library customer service.

Exciting things going on in the library.

Invited to the workshop are librarians within the library organisation working closely with library users and it is led by Malin Utter from the Swedish School of Library and Information Science and Tove Lekselius from the Library, both at the University of Borås. Supporting with translations when the English language becomes challenging, is Demócrito Manyissa, from the UEM library.

Demócrito Manyissa, Malin Utter and Tove Lekselius discussiong during a coffe break.

Presentations are usually shared with participants -- and here on the blog.

Annual Review Meeting of the UEM-Sweden Programme

It is now time to review the passed year, discuss achievements and see what can be done better. The Annual Review Meeting of the UEM-Sweden Programme officially opened today, 23rd of April 2019 and will close on Thursday 25th. The Central Library programme will be discussed, together with other key supporting elements (or research infrastructure), on Thursday morning. We are looking forward to fruitful discussions.
 

The ARM being opened by Prof. Amalia Uamusse, Vice-Rector Academic Affairs (pictured together with Mr. Mikael Elofsson, Embassy of Sweden and Prof. Manuel Chenene, UEM)

Students in Sweden, part two

We were happy to meet with the students and the library director here at Blekinge Institute of Technology for two days.
Backward planning, Open educational resources and Search techniques were on the agenda. And a lot of time taking pictures in the snow, which finally came towards the end of the visit to Sweden.

The students on the pictures are Acuceno Chicolena, Abnadia Raul, Amarilda Chissano, Rui Antonio, Irzelinda Mussa and Lazifa Mahuae.

Students in Sweden

This week and next, our six master's students are in Sweden for participation in the residential period of the master's programme course Digitalisation of Cultural Heritage Material. They also meet with other teachers and have seminars in courses such as Users and information activities in digital environments and Information Retrieval for Digital Libraries.

Next week, there will be job shadowing at the university library in Borås, followed by a trip to Karlskrona and jobshadowing at the library of BTH, Blekinge Institute of Technology.

The students in Sweden at the moment are: Rui Antonio, Acieceno Chicolena, Lucia Raul, Amarilda Chissano, Irzelinda Mussa and Lasifa Mahuae.

The PI, Horacio Zimba being here, allows us to do further planning, follow ups and analysis.

Coming from Mozambique to Sweden during the Swedish winter, means over 30 degrees of difference. But it seems as if the weather in Borås and Karlskrona will not be too cold nor snowy after all. 

Research4Life

Research4Life commitment until 2025

The Research4Life partners have announced that they have agreed to extend their partnership through 2025. Research4Life currently provides over 8,700 institutions in more than 100 developing countries with free or low cost access to peer-reviewed eResources from the world’s leading scholarly publishers. The renewed commitment will ensure that the nearly 85,000 peer reviewed academic journals, books and databases from some 200 scholarly publishers available through the public-private Research4life partnership will continue to reach research communities in low- and middle-income countries.

Workshops and Meeting in October

October 22-26, Fereshta Westin, lecturer at the Swedish School of Library and Information Science, met with the master students in Maputo. The aim of the workshops was to guide the students into the world of HTML, CSS, XML and SQL. Of course the aim was also to assist them in their learning so they can pass the examination of the course. The assignment is to build a web site by early November.

The same week the Annual Planning Meeting took place and Dr Zimba and myself met to discuss balance, budget for the upcoming year and to make plans for next year´s events. In February the master students will come to the University of Borås for their residential week and job shadowing and in April it will be time for the Annual Review Meeting and workshops for the library staff in Maputo.
Svante Kristensson

Updates on activities

Master students

If you work at the Central Library you have probably noted that Professor Elena Maceviciute is around between the 24th and 28th of September. Elena from the Swedish school of Library and Information Science is in the country to introduce our six master's students to the programme, to teach digital library management, but also to meet with library staff and managers for a couple of short workshops. Elena is programme supervisor of the international master's programme that the students are admitted to, and if you are interested in her research, please go to her research profile via this link.

Professor Elena Maceviciute. Photo: University of Borås

Annual Planning Meeting

Later on in October, library director and University of Borås team member Svante Krisetnsson will participate in the Annual Planning Meeting of the Sida-UEM cooperation together with library director Horacio Zimba, coordinator .

Master teaching again

Besides Digital Library Management, the master's programme focuses on information retrieval and technologies for digital libraries this semester. Fereshta Westin, lecturer from the Swedish School of Library and Information Science, gives input on basic technology between October 22nd and 26th.

UEM-Sweden 40 years of research cooperation

On the 13th of November, the 40 years of research cooperation between Sweden and Mozambique are marked through a scientific conference at the university together with the Swedish embassy and representatives of both countries. The Central Library team will on the Swedish side be represented by the coordinator Veronica Trépagny.

UEM Central Library. Photo: Veronica Trépagny

Admission of master's students

As the semester starts in Sweden, we are happy to announce admission of six UEM students to the master's programme library and information science Digital Libraries and Information Services (SSLIS, University of Borås).The programme takes two years to finalize, with thesis writing the last semester. It is a distance mode programme, which means that the students will be studying online. Since the approach is also blended learning, the students will travel to Sweden to take part in a course on digitisation of cultural heritage material next semester. They will also have to travel to Sweden to defend their thesis. But teachers will also come to Maputo to teach. This means that Professor Elena Maceviciute will be at UEM between the 24th and 28th of September for teaching in the programme, but also for shorter sessions with UEM staff. More information on the other presentations and/or workshops to come.

University of Borås Campus. Photo: Anna Sigge.