The following Report on the ICOM’98 meeting of ICTOP ( the International
Committee for the Training of Personnel) has been prepared by the meeting
convenor, M. Birtley.

Please note that copies of the ICTOP Pre-Print papers can be ordered - see
end of this message.
===================================================

The ICTOP meeting took as its keynote theme Museum Training and Cultural
Diversity. Excellent presentations were received from Rena Kelly (Deakin
University), Shar Jones (University of Sydney), Nina Stanton (Norfolk
Island Museum) and Ralph Regenvanu (Pacific Islands Museums Association -
PIMA).

Another theme which attracted a large audience and lively discussion was
Training for Management of Museums.  The tendency of directors to think
that training is only for their staff was widely noted, but both speakers -
Dr Sherene Suchy (Duo Plus, Sydney) and Sharon Granville (Tyne & Wear
Museums, England) - stressed that a commitment to continuing professional
development and life-long learning characterises the ‘new breed’ of directors.

At ICTOP’s business meeting, Patrick Boylan (City University, London) was
confirmed as the new President.  Professor Boylan will host the next ICTOP
meeting in July, 1999.

Resolutions were passed concerning:
* the encouragement of training in the use of broad-based communication
techniques, both technological and traditional, to provide information
about collections, exhibitions and other museological information to
celebrate and nurture the cultural heritage of all peoples;
*  the revision of Curriculum Guidelines for Professional Development in
Museums and the introduction of Standards and Ethics for Museum Training;
*  new ways of raising awareness of legal issues considered important to
professional museum workers;
*  support for a ‘Training for Trainers’ initiative within the PIMA
community of museum and cultural institutions;
*  the production of a position paper examining the issue of student
membership of ICOM;
*  the promotion of conservation restoration as a discipline covering all
categories of cultural property, taught at university or recognized
equivalent, as a course of studies leading to an appropriate degree or
diploma;
*  the reinforcement and supplementation of training initiatives in ICOM
member nations and international committees and regional organizations.

ICTOP also urged ICOM to publicly dedicate itself and its professional and
institutional membership to the cause of world peace, and integrate into
all its programs, publications and initiatives, mechanisms to encourage and
facilitate tolerance, reconciliation and the pursuit of peace.

Most of the papers presented at the ICTOP meeting were published as
pre-prints.  After a sell-out of 180 copies at the conference itself, a
reprint of the volume (entitled 'Museum Training & Cultural Diversity') is
now available for AUD $10 (post free). A small Silva compass (with the
slogan ‘Museum Training – The Way Ahead’) is also available for AUD $12.
Payment (in favour of Deakin University) can be made by cheque or credit card.

To order by credit card payment, you need to send the following details to
the signatory (below):

TYPE OF CARD  (Visa or Mastercard):
CARD NUMBER:
NAME ON CARD:
EXPIRY DATE:
AMOUNT BEING PAID IN AUD $ :

Regards,

MARGARET BIRTLEY
***********************************************************************
Coordinator, Museum Studies
Deakin University
221 Burwood Highway
BURWOOD   VIC   3125
Australia

Email:          [log in to unmask]
Tel:            +61 3  9251 7057
Fax:            +61 3  9251 7048
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