Why do museums collect? And how can they do it in an ethical, sustainable and professional way?

These will be the topics of the next workshop of the ICOM International Training Centre for Museum Studies (ICOM-ITC), which will be held in Beijing, China, from 10 to 18 April 2019. In this 12^th edition of the training programme, Chinese and international participants and lecturers will discuss and exchange knowledge about collection documentation, long-term care of collections and the importance of management policies for collections. The programme will follow the ICOM-ITC training method, which combines practice and theory with lectures, group work, discussions, visits to local museums, and a full-day excursion to cultural heritage sites around the capital. ICOM-ITC, housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing, China, is a collaboration between ICOM, ICOM China and the Palace Museum. By providing inclusive and participatory training programmes for museum professionals, the centre is intended to “promote research and exchange among museums at an international level and develop the museum expertise of professionals from developing countries, especially those from the Asia-Pacific region,” where the museum sector is growing rapidly and there is a high demand for museum professionals.

2 Types of Grants

ICOM, ICOM China and the Palace Museum award two types of grants, full and partial. The full grant covers an economy-class air ticket, accommodation and local hospitality for the participant for the duration of the training workshop. Applicants residing in countries belonging to categories 2, 3 and 4, as defined in the ICOM membership grid, are given priority for this type of grant. You can find the membership grid at the end of this article. The partial grant covers accommodation and local hospitality for the participant for the duration of the training workshop. Applicants residing in countries belonging to category 1, as defined in the ICOM membership grid, will be considered for partial grants. ICOM or the Palace Museum will make the travel arrangements for participants with a full grant. Participants with a partial grant must book their own air ticket. Visa costs, insurance coverage and other expenses not explicitly stated above are at the cost of the participants. There are no registration fees for attending the training seminar.

Applications

The ICOM-ITC training workshops are intended primarily for ICOM members from countries with emerging economies, but applicants from other countries might be considered. Candidates should be based at an ICOM member institution, be fluent in written and spoken English and aged 45 or younger by 31 December. Applications should be submitted by 16 December. For further information, please visit https://icom.museum/en/news/the-challenges-of-museum-collections-today-call-for-icom-itc-grants/