International Council of Museums Committee for University Museums and Collections

APRU 2020: University Museums Research Symposium
2020-11-07 - 2020-11-09 | National University of Singapore, Singapore

UMAC Origins: Conversation with Panu Nykänen
2020-10-01 08:00 - 09:00 (Europe/Berlin) | UMAC YouTube channel

Annoucement of the UMAC AWARD 2020
2020-09-28 | UMAC YouTube channel

UMAC AWARD 2020
2020-09-01

UMAC ORIGINS: Conversation with Hugues Dreyssé
2020-08-31 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London) | UMAC YouTube channel

Beirut Series: Conversation with Suzy Hakimian, Chair of ICOM-Lebanon
2020-08-27 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Berlin) | UMAC YouTube channel

UMAC Origins: Conversation with Bernice Murphy
2020-08-17 08:00 - 09:00 (Europe/London) | UMAC YouTube channel

UMAC ORIGINS: Conversation with Lyndel King
2020-08-10 17:00 - 18:00 (Europe/London) | UMAC YouTube channel

20th UMAC Annual General Meeting
2020-07-27 13:00 - 14:30 (Europe/Berlin) | ZOOM platform
More info here.

Universeum 2020
2020-06-22 - 2020-06-26 | ULB & KU Leuven, Belgium
University museums and collections in the vanguard of contemporary societal debates
This main theme echoed the debate on the definition of museum in ICOM community. During the 2020 Universeum Annual Conference in Belgium, we would like to continue this debate and focus it specifically in relation to university museums (U-museums) and collections, questioning their role as actor of social and political change on one hand ; and how they deal with the challenges of their past on a second hand?

AAMG 2020
2020-06-17 - 2020-06-20 | University of Kansas (Lawrence), KS, United States

International Museum Day 2020
2020-05-18

Jagiellonian University Staff Training Week
2020-04-06 - 2020-04-10 | Jagiellonian University Museum, Krakow, Poland
Jagiellonian University Staff Training Week
Management of Academic Heritage: Challenges and Opportunities
Jagiellonian University Museum, Krakow.
The Jagiellonian University welcomes you to the Erasmus+ Staff Training Week ‘Management of Academic Heritage – Challenges and Opportunities’, to be held at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków on 6-10 April 2020.
As the topic for the first time is dedicated to the university special collections and academic heritage, the event is organized by the JU International Relations Office together with the Jagiellonian University Museum in cooperation with multiple university units working in the field of managing academic special collections, mainly Centre for Science Education, the Museum of Pharmacy of the JU Medical College, the Museum of the JU Medical Faculty.
The working language is English.
More info, contact and registrations here.
DEADLINES:

Starting date for applications: 7 February 2020
Closing date for applications: 28 February 2010
All applicants will be notified about the selection results on 9 March 2020.

The number of participants is limited to 30, with a maximum of 2 people per institution. Any available additional places will be announced as soon as possible.
PLEASE NOTE

Welcoming lunch and coffee breaks planned in the programme are provided by the organizers.
The costs of travel, accommodation and other meals should be covered by the Participants themselves.

Diálogos. Redescubrir el patrimonio universitario. Arte, ciencia, historia y sociedad
2020-03-25 - 2020-03-26 | Museo de Geofísica, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) tiene una larga y consolidada trayectoria en cuanto a su patrimonio, sus colecciones y sus museos, que se inicia en 1910 con la creación de la Universidad, y se reafirma a partir de 1929, con el reconocimiento de la autonomía universitaria.
Desde entonces ha desempeñado un papel protagónico en la reunión, estudio, conservación, preservación, exhibición y divulgación de bienes culturales y naturales, cumpliendo con las funciones universitarias de docencia, investigación y difusión de la cultura.
Muchos acervos son tradicionales, mientras otros son de reciente formación. En todos los casos es necesario visitar y revisitar el patrimonio para revalorizarlo y darle un sentido de actualidad, que sea significativo para las nuevas generaciones.
Redescubrir el patrimonio universitario significa conocerlo, interpretarlo y reinterpretarlo, pero sobre todo preservarlo para las generaciones futuras y para fomentar un sentido de identidad universitaria.
Con este propósito, el Seminario Universitario de Museos y Espacios Museográficos, el Museo de Geofísica de la UNAM, el Comité Nacional Mexicano del Consejo Internacional de Museos (ICOM-México), el Grupo de Colecciones y Museos Universitarios (UMAC) en México convocan a los miembros de la comunidad universitaria relacionados con el patrimonio universitario a participar en el análisis de la situación del patrimonio universitario y presentar propuestas para su mejor utilización en la reunión.

I Simposio Patrimonio y Cultura
2020-03-10 - 2020-03-12 | Playa de Varadero, Cuba
TEMATICAS
· Patrimonio cultural, desafíos para su gestión integral.
· Museos y colecciones universitarias.
· Socialización y educación patrimonial: experiencias y alternativas.
· La universidad: memoria histórica y tradiciones.
· Identidad cultural y universidad,
· La universidad como centro de promoción de cultura.
· Las manifestaciones del arte y la Literatura en las universidades.
· Consumo y recepción cultural desde y hacia la universidad.
· Perspectivas en la formación humanista del profesional universitario.

Contacto: Armando Santana Montes de Oca

Convención International de Antropología ANTHROPOS 2020
2020-03-09 - 2020-03-12 | Palacio de Convenciones, La Habana, Cuba
ANTHROPOS 2020 is organised by the Museo Antropológico Montané, the Cátedra de Antropología “Luis Montané” of the University of La Habana, the Faculty of Biology of the Faculty of La Habana, the Sociedad Cubana de Antropología Biológica and the Sociedad de Estudios Primatológicos “Eopithecus”, Mexico.
The following meetings will take place simultaneously:
– XIII Simposio de Antropología Física ‘Luís Montané’
– IX Congreso ‘Primates como Patrimonio Nacional’
– VI Coloquio ‘Primates a través del Caribe’
– I Simposio Hispanoamericano de Neuroantropologia
Call for Papers (English)
Event Facebook
Contact: anthroposmontane2020@gmail.com

145e congrès annuel du CTHS: Collecter, collectionner, conserver
2020-02-22 - 2020-02-25 | Université de Nantes – – Campus Centre Loire, Nantes, France

Joint Conference ICOM CIMUSET-CIM-CIM
2020-02-04 - 2020-02-06 | Cité de la Musique, Paris, France
Playing and operating: functionality in museum objects and instruments
4-6 February, 2020
Cité de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris, France

See final program here.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Deadline for submissions: 22 October 2019
Museum collections are formed by selections of objects that represent snapshots of the complexity of the world at different times. As such their value resides as much in their physical supports, as in
the representation of the cultural networks of meanings and interactions of which they were part.
For some types of objects, this includes a particularly strong ‘performative’ element, where the object is a tool to accomplish an action: musical instruments, vehicles, clocks and watches, machinery and objects of science and technology are few of the most obvious examples.
For decades, museum approaches have been divided between emphasizing the preservation of the material support of the object, and preserving its capability to operate, for reasons that include
dissemination as well as research. The use of alternatives, such as replicas and digital modelling has also been explored, sometimes controversially, and few attempts have been made at producing
guidelines for the care and preservation of few among these types of objects.
This conference aims at offering a platform to discuss and compare current approaches the preservation, and interpretation of functional objects, comparing practices across collections, institutions and countries. It is hoped that, by highlighting overlaps and differences, it will be possible to develop a greater understanding of the practical and ethical reasons that inform different policies and that the outcomes of the conference will prepare the ground for a common set of guidelines that might build on the cross-disciplinary experience provided by a variety of objects that present common challenges.
The conference is particularly open to perspectives from curators, conservators, makers, musicians and all key professional stakeholders dealing with the preservation and interpretation of functional objects across collections.
The conference is jointly organized by the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Musical Instruments and Music (CIMCIM), the International Committee for Museums of Science
and Technology (CIMUSET) of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the Cité de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris. It is generously supported by the International Council of Museums ICOM. The International Council of Museums is an international
organisation of museums and museum professionals which is committed to the research, conservation, continuation and communication to society of the world’s natural and cultural
heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.
Sub-themes:

1. The ontology of functional objects
It has been widely argued that the nature of an object is transformed as soon as it enters a museum collection. Moreover, most functional objects have undergone changes, repairs, maintenance work
and degradations, either before or after entering a museum collection, which might have transformed the way it operates and its outcome.
How relevant is the preservation of functionality – or the capacity to operate – in faithfully preserving and representing a museum object, and how does it combine with the many conflicting priorities that regulate the life and choices of a museum collections?

2. Interpretation of functional objects
Interpretation and public engagement are traditionally among the main reason to operate functional objects in museums collections, either within the museum galleries or taking them outside of the
museum environment itself. This is often the case with musical instruments, vehicles, trains and several types of objects that would have operated in public spaces before entering a museum.
How can the impact of operating an original object be measured and justified, if at all, beyond the satisfaction of passing curiosity? How reliable is the message conveyed by operating an original and
how satisfactory are possible alternatives such as copies or digital reproductions. Can truly satisfactory alternatives be found, compared to operating originals, which could still deliver a fully satisfactory experience for the visitor?

3. Good practice and risk management
During the last decades, approaches to operating museum objects have greatly changed leading to the production of sometimes contradictory policies and guidelines that reflect the spirit of their time.
Individual museums, sometimes individual conservators, have developed practices and protocols to support informed decision making and risk assessment/management.
Can these policies and approaches be distilled in an overarching approach to operating objects held
in museum collections? Where do they overlap and where are they unique to certain types of
collections? Which policies and practices are currently in place and how effective have they been in
their implementation?

4. Objects functionality in the 21st Century
In the last few years, the rise of virtual object design and physical modelling has created new opportunities and alternatives to reproduce and demonstrate the functionality of objects. These
innovative approaches may question the very reason for making actual objects work.
How is the ongoing digital revolution changing the discussion on instruments playability and objects functionality? Can it provide a satisfactory alternative to understand functional objects? What can
it contribute to the discussion on the usage of functional objects?

Abstracts submission Guidelines:
The following types of contributions are invited:
– Short papers, 10 min. + 5 min. Q+A
– Full papers, 20 min. + 10 min. Q+A
– Posters
Please send an abstract of no more than 300 words and a short CV of no more than 150 words including the following information.
Family name:
Given Name:
Museum/Organization:
Position:
Email:
Please specify if you are a member of: CIMCIM, CIMUSET, ICOM
Please specify if you are proposing a short paper, a full paper, or a poster.
Abstracts must be sent to Mathilde Thomas by midnight (12:00 AM-GMT) 22 October 2019; late entries will not be considered.
Accepted formats are MS, word and .rtf.
All submissions will be vetted by the Review Committee.
Please note that the conference language is English.
It is planned to provide simultaneous French translation.
N.B.: a limited number of travel grants will be available for invited speakers, especially young professionals.

Europeana 2019: Connect Communities
2019-11-27 - 2019-11-29 | National Library of Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal
There is no one-size-fits-all cultural heritage professional – your roles, your institutions, your passions and your skills are incredibly wide-ranging. Europeana 2019 makes the connection between you all. At this unique interdisciplinary event 250 professionals with interests in tech, copyright, education, research, impact and communications will come together to explore where those communities meet and how each specialist group can support the others.
This three-day conference at the National Library of Portugal, Lisbon, isn’t simply three days listening to others talk. It’s a real hands-on affair with workshops, discussions, panels, interaction and networking. Attend, contribute and transform the world with culture.
Whether it’s tips on how to run a workshop, insights into the best approach to opening up content, new ideas for digital storytelling, or new people to follow up on Twitter, you can go back to your day job with tangible new skills, experiences and contacts to help you make a difference to your organisation.
Read more.

VII Encuentro de Museos Universitarios de Latinoamérica y del Caribe/I Encuentro de Museos Universitarios de Guatemala
2019-11-25 - 2019-11-28 | MUSEO DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE SAN CARLOS, COLEGIO MAYOR DE SANTO TOMAS DE AQUINO, Guatemala, Guatemala
MUSEO DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE SAN CARLOS, 25 al 27 de noviembre.
COLEGIO MAYOR DE SANTO TOMAS DE AQUINO, 28 de noviembre
HORARIO: 10.00 a 17.00 horas.
ADMISION: GRATUITA
PROGRAMA PRELIMINAR

International Colloquium on the Public of University Museums
2019-11-05 - 2019-11-07 | University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
Supported by UMAC-ICOM.

Les musées universitaires connaissent, depuis le début du XXIe siècle, un véritable regain d’intérêt : fondation d’un réseau européen UNIVERSEUM (2000) et du Comité international pour les musées et collections universitaires (UMAC) au sein de l’ICOM (2001), rénovation de l’Ashmolean Museum à Oxford (2009) reconnu comme premier musée universitaire (1683), création de nouvelles réserves accessibles et rénovation du Conservatoire national des arts et métiers à Paris (2000).
Ces quelques initiatives semblent incarner la volonté des acteurs universitaires de donner un nouveau sens à leurs structures muséales mais aussi le besoin d’une reconnaissance officielle par la communauté internationale des professionnels des musées ; alors que le grand public semble se sentir moins concerné.Aujourd’hui, l’Embarcadère du Savoir s’associe au Séminaire de Muséologie de l’Université de Liège pour l’organisation d’un colloque relatif aux publics des musées universitaires qui aura lieu du 5 au 7 novembre 2019.
Read more and call for papers here.

Launch of MÁS MUSEOS: REVISTA DIGITAL
2019-10-23 | UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico

Conversation about the legal framework for university museums
2019-10-14 | Universum, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
See the debate live here.

Conference 'Universities and their Contested Pasts'
2019-09-11 - 2019-09-12 | Samuel Alexander Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
The University of Manchester’s Research Group on University Histories is organising a conference on 11-12 September 2019, focussing on ‘Universities and their contested pasts’. The conference aims to include both academic and practice/policy discussions and abstracts from UMAC members are warmly invited.
Call for Papers
Deadline: 31 May 2019

TOKYO UMAC SEMINAR
2019-09-09 - 2019-09-10 | Keio University Art Center, Tokyo, Japan
UMAC TOKYO SEMINAR University Museums as Cultural Commons
Post-UMAC 2019 Seminar.
With Yohko Watanabe (Keio University Art Center), Andrew Simpson (UMAC/Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University, Australia) and Judy Willcocks (Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London, UK), among others.
See Program and more info here.

UMAC 2019
2019-09-01 - 2019-09-07 | Kyoto ICC, Kyoto, Japan
The 19th UMAC Annual Conference will be in Kyoto — 1-7 September. See more details here.

„Junges Forum für Sammlungs- und Objektforschung“ | Workshop Dresden 2019
2019-08-22 - 2019-08-24 | TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Vom 22. bis 24. August 2019 veranstaltet die Kustodie der TU Dresden gemeinsam mit der Koordinierungsstelle für wissenschaftliche Universitätssammlungen in Deutschland und der Gesellschaft für Universitätssammlungen (GfU) e.V. den vierten Workshop in der Reihe „Junges Forum für Sammlungs- und Objektforschung“. Eingeladen sind Doktorand*innen aller Disziplinen, die an und über materielle/n Objekte/n oder Sammlungen forschen.
Im Rahmen des geplanten Workshops sollen wissenschaftliche Fragen, Methoden und Ergebnisse vorgestellt und mit Nachwuchswissenschaftlern*innen aus anderen Disziplinen sowie Expert*innen diskutiert werden. Darüber hinaus erwarten wir von den Teilnehmer*innen, dass sie ihre Beiträge und die Ergebnisse der Diskussion für eine gemeinsame Publikation aufbereiten.
Das Lesen und Deuten von Spuren ist alltägliche Orientierungs- und Überlebenstechnik und gleichermaßen epistemische Methode. Spurenlesen als Grundlage unseres Wissens über unsere Lebenswelt stützt sich dabei ebenso auf den geschulten Blick oder ‚embodied knowledge‘ wie auf objektivierbare natur- und kulturwissenschaftliche Methoden. Spurenträger kann das einzelne Objekt, der einzelne Fund, die Sammlung oder der Befundkontext sein. Manche Spurenträger werden ausschließlich für den Zweck der Erkundung im epistemischen Prozess hergestellt. Andere Spuren wiederum sind flüchtig, sodass erst (Ab)Bild, Abguss, Tonaufnahme, Moulage oder Modell als Spurenträger zweiter Ordnung eine (dauerhafte) Konservierung erlauben. Richtet sich der epistemische Fokus auf die Methoden des Spurenlesens, können Sammlungen oder Befunddokumentationen aus den Kultur- oder Naturwissenschaften als Spurenträger der Evidenzerzeugung gelesen werden. Wissenschaftliche Geräte und Instrumente oder ganze Experimentalsysteme werden zu Quellen, die Aufschluss über die Verfahren der Spurenproduktion geben.
Wir möchten einen interdisziplinären Austausch zu objektwissenschaftlichen Ansätzen befördern und fordern Nachwuchswissenschaftler*innen aller Disziplinen auf, ihre aktuellen Forschungsvorhaben vorzustellen und in einem interdisziplinären Forum zu diskutieren.
Das „Junge Forum für Sammlungs- und Objektforschung“ ist ein Kooperationsprojekt der Koordinierungsstelle für wissenschaftliche Universitätssammlungen mit vier Universitäten und wird von der VolkswagenStiftung finanziert. Die Workshopreihe bietet eine Plattform für jüngere Nachwuchswissenschaftler*innen, um sich fächerübergreifend miteinander zu vernetzen und Fragen der objektbasierten Forschung insbesondere in wissenschaftlichen Sammlungen an Hochschulen zu reflektieren. Zentrales Anliegen ist es, den wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchs dazu anzuregen, mit wissenschaftlichen Sammlungen und Objektbeständen an Hochschulen zu arbeiten, Objektkompetenz zu erwerben und interdisziplinäre Projekte zu entwickeln.
Wir bitten um kurze Abstracts im Umfang von maximal einer Seite für eine 20-minütige Präsentation sowie einen knappen Lebenslauf mit Stichworten zu den Forschungsinteressen an die unten angegebene E-Mail-Adresse.
Stichtag der Einsendung ist der 31. März 2019.
Einsendungen bitte an: kustodie@tu-dresden.de (Betreff: „Junges Forum“).
Die Tagungsbeiträge werden von der Gesellschaft für Universitätssammlungen e.V. digital publiziert (https://edoc.hu-berlin.de/junges_forum); Reise- und Übernachtungskosten werden erstattet.
Für weitere Informationen zur Kustodie der TU Dresden und den CfP als pdf finden Sie hier: https://tu-dresden.de/kustodie; für Informationen zur Koordinierungsstelle für wissenschaftliche Universitätssammlungen siehe http://wissenschaftliche-sammlungen.de.
Für Rückfragen wenden Sie sich bitte an: joerg.zaun@tu-dresden.de

AAMG Annual Conference 2019
2019-06-27 - 2019-06-30 | Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States

International Seminar Heritage on Fire: Who's next?
2019-06-26 - 2019-06-28 | Multiple venues (see program), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Heritage on fire: Who’s next?
Fire risk management for cultural heritage
International seminar | Rio de Janeiro
26-28 June 2019

Fire is a major hazard affecting cultural heritage assets around the world. Although it may seem a ‘rare event’ from a single institution’s perspective, large fires can become routine when considering the total heritage of a nation. Furthermore, their impact is typically catastrophic, causing total or almost total loss in the affected cultural property. Recent examples include the Glasgow School of Arts (United Kingdom, 2014 and 2018), the Institute of Scientific Information on Social Sciences (Russian Federation, 2015), Mzuzu University Library (Malawi, 2015), India’s National Museum of Natural History (2016), New York’s Saint Sava Cathedral (United States of America, 2016), Jakarta’s Maritime Museum (Indonesia, 2018), and Brazil’s National Museum (2018).

The majority of fires affecting heritage institutions have internal causes, and can be avoided or greatly reduced through proper maintenance and safety procedures. In order to prevent fire disasters, emergency preparedness is essential but it must not be the only strategy. There is a clear need to promote more effective legislation and policies, to stimulate the use of new fire safety technologies, and help create a fire prevention culture in heritage organizations.

The seminar will address these pressing issues, underlining the key role that decision makers must play in preventing disaster fires. Fire statistics and their implications for effective decision-making, experiences from different countries and contexts in managing fire risks, and state-of-the-art fire safety measures for application in cultural heritage will be discussed. Contributions will be sought from a diverse range of fields and disciplines, including heritage managers and authorities, cultural first-aiders, conservators, fire legislation specialists, fire engineers, fire chiefs, heritage risk assessors, and insurance experts. A visit to Brazil’s National Museum will be organized to provide a first-hand view of the ongoing actions to re-establish its prominent role as a heritage and research institution in the country and internationally.

A specialist forum will take place at the end of the seminar to set forth meaningful recommendations concerning fire risk reduction in cultural heritage. This will provide a concrete output to support policy changes and ensure wide dissemination of results.

Target audience: heritage authorities, heritage managers, national fire protection agencies, museum directors, museum designers, heritage management educators, etc.
Program in ENGLISH and PORTUGUESE
Registration
Contact: seminario@museus.gov.br
SUPPORTED BY UMAC.

Universeum Network Meeting 2019
2019-06-18 - 2019-06-21
In 2019, the UNIVERSEUM Network Meeting will be hosted by the Mendel Museum of Masaryk University in Brno, together with the Charles University in Prague and the University of Bratislava in Slovakia.
