Throwback Thursday – Summer Programme 2013
In 2013 the British Museum, in collaboration with eight UK partner museums, hosted 21 museum and heritage professionals from 10 countries on the eighth International Training Programme (ITP). From 12 August to 21 September 2013 we were joined by colleagues from China; Egypt; India; Kenya; Libya; Oman (for the first time); Palestine; Sudan; Turkey and Uganda.
The Programme itself was similar to previous years but reflected some of the comments and suggestions from our 2012 cohort and current trends and challenges in the sector. In response to the 2012 evaluations, we added weekly workshops on key heritage themes, fundraising, income generation and commercial programmes, leadership, strategy, management and communication, and archaeology in the UK. These consisted of presentations followed by a Q&A and an often-lively group discussion. Weekly evaluations were also a new addition to the programme where discussions focused not only on the ITP but also on issues of culture, heritage, society and collaboration. The ITP team also revisited the format of the final presentations which we know so many of the participants found rather testing. Participants were still asked to develop a temporary exhibition proposal based on the British Museum’s exhibition space in Room 3 but they presented their work – and an object from the Museum’s collection – in a more informal, hands-on setting. The results were very impressive and presented a fascinating range of original and imaginative ideas.
In 2013 the ITP worked with several new partners to deliver the Programme. The Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology, Oxford, and Manchester Art Gallery joined the Programme as UK partners, hosting participants on their ten-day regional placements. While the Victoria and Albert Museum kindly hosted the participants for a full day session, sharing information on their exhibitions and learning programmes and their international strategy.
Perhaps most influentially, in 2013 the ITP team were joined by the Programme’s first Senior Fellow, Eileen Musundi, Head of Exhibitions, Nairobi National Museum (ITP 2008), who brought her invaluable experience of the Programme to the summer programme. Eileen’s return provided a further opportunity for her to enhance her professional skills, share her experiences, and strengthen the potential to cascade further learning back at her home institution.
