Text in Afrikaans / The URCSA's synod of Northern Transvaal consists of 128 congregations of which 48 are at present without a minister. Of the 48 congregations, 23 are small rural congregations. This does not include the numerous ward churches of large rural congregations that are in essence also small congregations. The URCSA has two historical legacies; namely, material poverty and the Presbyterian form of church governance known as the tipple office-bearers' doctrine (manus triplex) with a built-in hierarchy that affords pastors a prominent leadership role in congregations. The assumption can thus be made that each congregation should have a church council and pastor. As small rural congregations cannot afford the expense of their own minister, they therefore have to cope without one. Against this background one must understand the importance of elders in small rural congregations of the URCSA where the role of pastor is assumed and performed by elders, yet without any official training. This compels the church to probe alternative ways to become a pastor. The former DRMC and DRCA subscribed to an ecclesiastical practise whereby proven church leaders could be admitted as pastors on the grounds of their unique spiritual gifts. This practise has been accepted by the general synod of the URCSA. It is clear from this empirical study that the top leadership of the URCSA should adapt this accepted practise to accommodate the situation of the rural congregations. The possible synthesis of the apprentice, in-service-training, and tent-making models as general models for ministerial training amongst Protestants in the past, could pave the way for an adapted Pauline tent-maker model that will lead to the admittance of proven local church leaders as pastors in the URCSA's rural ward churches and small congregations. The prevailing situation of the rural church necessitates this mode of ministry as a supplementary alternative to the existing training of ministers. As it addresses a critical situation, it does not stand in opposition to the full-time ministry or the thorough theological training of especially the younger people. What does emerge from the context of the rural church, is the need for both modes of ministry. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th.

Mit diesem Buch werden zum einen die Tagung der Kompetenzschulen an sächsischen Hochschulen, die am 30. Mai 2013 mit dem Thema „Nachhaltigkeit – Eine Leitidee in der Weiterbildung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses“ an der TU Bergakademie Freiberg stattfand, und zum anderen die Projektergebnisse der sächsischen ESF-geförderten Kompetenzschulen dokumentiert. Die zentrale Diskussionsfrage lautet, in welcher Form eine nachhaltige Kompetenzentwicklung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses an sächsischen Hochschulen erfolgen kann. Dabei wird der Begriff der nachhaltigen Kompetenzentwicklung unter zwei unterschiedlichen Gesichtspunkten erörtert: Wie können wichtige Schlüsselkompetenzen bei Promovierenden nachhaltig, im Sinne von beruflich zukünftig relevant und anwendbar entwickelt werden? Und wie können darüber hinaus Kompetenzen entwickelt werden, die zu einem ökologisch, ökonomisch bzw. sozial nachhaltigen Handeln anregen? Im Kontext dieser zwei Fragestellungen wird die Rolle der sächsischen Kompetenzschulen diskutiert, deren Ziel in einer über die fachliche Qualifizierung hinausgehenden Kompetenzentwicklung in den Bereichen arbeitsmarktrelevanter Schlüssel- und Führungskompetenzen liegt. Dazu geben sechs geförderte Kompetenzschulprojekte Einblick in ihre strukturellen Rahmenbedingungen, inhaltlichen Schwerpunktsetzungen sowie Best-Practice-Erfahrungen, welche jeweils eine nachhaltige Kompetenzentwicklung für die Promovierenden an der entsprechenden Hochschule fördern sollen. Des Weiteren berichten Doktorandinnen und Doktoranden über ihre Erfahrungen in Bezug auf ihre persönliche Weiterentwicklung und beurteilen die Angebote der Kompetenzschulen aus ihrer jeweils individuellen Perspektive. Eingebettet wird die Rolle der Kompetenzschulen dabei in die Diskussion der Fragestellung, welche Kompetenzen Promovierende benötigen, um „fit“ für die Zukunft zu sein. Dabei wird neben den zentralen Schlüsselqualifikationen auch die Bedeutung solcher Kompetenzen erörtert, die ein ökologisch, ökonomisch sowie sozial nachhaltiges Handeln ermöglichen. / This book summarizes the key outcomes of a conference on „Sustainability as a guiding principle in qualifying young scientists“. In May 2013 the conference was held at TU Bergakademie Freiberg as a joint event of all Competence Schools in Saxony. It also documents the overall project results achieved within these six Saxon Competence Schools, which are funded by the European Social Fund. The central question being discussed is how young scientists’ skills can be developed sustainably at Saxon universities. The term “sustainable competency development” is used to refer to two different aspects: (1) How can key competencies that are important for young scientists be developed in a sustainable manner? Sustainable is here understood as relevant and practically-oriented with regard to young scientists’ future professional life and career. And (2) how can young scientists be enabled to act ecologically, economically as well as socially sustainable? Referring to these two questions the role of Saxon Competence Schools is being discussed which aim at qualifying young scientists in skills that are particularly relevant for the labour market – key and leadership competencies – apart from their expert qualification. For this purpose six funded Competence Schools deliver insights into their structural conditions and their main focusses as well as their best-practice experiences that are meant to enable a sustainable competency development for young scientists at their universities. Furthermore doctoral candidates report on their experiences regarding their personal development and evaluate the competence schools’ offers based on their individual perspective. The role of Competence Schools is additionally discussed concerning the question, which skills young scientists need in order to be well-prepared for future challenges. This question not only focuses on key competencies, but also on the importance of those competencies that enable young scientists to act in an ecologically, economically as well as socially sustainable way.

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