University of Benghazi Holds First Manuscript Cataloguing Training Programme
The University of Benghazi’s Manuscripts Centre held its first specialised training programme today to develop staff skills in manuscript cataloguing. The initiative reflects the University’s commitment to advancing professional expertise in manuscript preservation, study, and documentation.
The programme opened with two theoretical and practical lectures on internationally recognised methods of manuscript cataloguing. The sessions were delivered by Professor Sebastian, a manuscript expert at the French National Library in Paris and a professor at Sorbonne University.
University of Benghazi and Sorbonne University Discuss Cooperation
Following the training, the president of the University of Benghazi, Professor Eiz Eldeen Aldressi, met with the French expert. The meeting was attended by Vice President for Scientific Affairs Dr Khaled Al-Fadhli, Dean of the Faculty of Arts Professor Ahmed Najm, and Vice Dean Mohammed Al-Walid.
Discussions focused on future academic and cultural cooperation in manuscript studies, as well as practical steps towards establishing a joint agreement between the University of Benghazi and Sorbonne University in the humanities. Particular attention was given to teaching Arabic to French learners who are non-native speakers of the language.
The two sides also discussed allocating ten study places for French students within the University of Benghazi’s Arabic language programmes, supporting wider academic exchange between the two institutions.
Lectures and Access to Manuscript Collections
During his visit, Professor Sebastian is scheduled to deliver a series of lectures on Arabic language teaching in France. He will also present a list of Arabic and Islamic manuscripts held in French institutions, providing researchers with greater insight into these important collections.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Professor Eiz Eldeen Aldressi honoured the French expert and expressed his appreciation for his academic and cultural contributions to the university, particularly in the fields of manuscript studies and the humanities.
The visit will continue with field trips to archaeological sites in Tocra and Ptolemais, in addition to a visit to the National Library. Professor Sebastian previously contributed to preparing the first detailed academic catalogue of its Islamic manuscripts, following four years of work dedicated to documenting these collections and making them more accessible to researchers.
