Ever since I decided to pursue the Research Master's programme in Religious Studies and Theology at the Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society, I knew that I wanted to spend part of my studies at another university. The programme offered me the freedom to develop my own research project and further strengthen my research skills through courses, tutorials, and internships both in the Netherlands and abroad. My project focused on the history of Christian missions in the Middle East during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with a particular interest in questions surrounding missionary heritage. Driven by this interest, I completed an Erasmus traineeship at KU Leuven as part of my master's programme.

My traineeship primarily involved archival research in the Dutch Jesuit Archives at KADOC, the Documentation and Research Centre for Religion, Culture and Society affiliated with KU Leuven. KADOC is dedicated to the preservation of religious heritage and manages a wide range of archival collections relating to religious communities from the Low Countries. During my stay, I conducted research on the photographic collection of Dutch Jesuits who were sent to Lebanon between 1950 and 1990. This collection offers valuable insights into the relationships between the Jesuit order and the various religious communities in Lebanon, including Maronite Christians, Sunnis, and Shiites. In addition to Jesuit mission archives, KADOC also preserves collections relating to missionaries who worked in other parts of the world, such as the Congo and Indonesia. These archives are particularly valuable for research into the entanglement of Christian missions and colonialism.

Alongside my archival research, I took the course History of Eastern Christianity at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies. The course explored a variety of Eastern Christian traditions, including the Armenian, Coptic, and Byzantine traditions. KU Leuven offers a broad range of specialised courses that are available at only a few universities in the Netherlands. In the field of language studies, for example, students can take courses in Coptic, Syriac-Aramaic, and Old Church Slavonic, and there are also courses offered in Jewish and Arabic philosophy.

During my stay, KU Leuven celebrated its 600th anniversary. To mark this special milestone, the university organised a wide range of cultural events and activities. Leuven is a vibrant student city with an international character. Thanks to its many sports and cultural associations, there is always something happening and plenty of opportunities to meet fellow students.

My time in Leuven was a valuable experience. The traineeship made a significant contribution to the development of my research skills and gave me the opportunity to work extensively with unique archival sources. In addition, discussions with researchers working on the history of Christian missions and religious heritage were highly inspiring. The combination of research, education, and the international academic environment made my stay at KU Leuven a truly enriching experience.

Imani Nijp is a student at the Research Master's programme at our faculty.