International Training Programme – Future Plan
While preparations for the summer programme 2016 are underway, we are delighted to announce some exciting news for the future of the International Training Programme (ITP).
In 2015 the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust generously pledged a challenge fund of up to £500,000 for every pound the Museum could raise to support the continued development and delivery of the ITP. The gift was made in honour of the directorship of Neil MacGregor, 2002-2015, and recognised the tenth anniversary of this very successful Programme.
Successful appeals to the British Museum Members and Patrons formed a key part of the fundraising campaign and with additional gifts from the American Friends of the British Museum as well as legacies and renewed grants from foundations, the Museum reached this ambitious goal.
The Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust will continue to support five participants per year for the next five years. The Trust was also keen to support further engagement and help the Museum to develop a wide range of projects and programmes for our ITP global alumni. Among the initiatives under consideration are:
ITP+ Programmes: 5-day workshops on selected themes. ITP+ will focus on a specific part of the current summer Programme that responds to your stated areas of interest and development needs, helping to address current challenges at your home institutions.
ITP Collaborative Awards: A series of small grants, open to past ITP participants and programme partners who successfully propose a collaborative project taking advantage of ITP networks. We hope these awards will produce outcomes with significant and meaningful impact on one or several institutions. This could include a small display, improvements to visitor experience and public programmes, or educational or digital resources.
Temporary displays in the UK: Exhibitions developed from your ITP exhibition proposal projects. Building on the model of the successful 2014 Asahi Shimbun Displays Room 3 exhibition From Temple to Home: Celebrating Ganesha, which is currently touring to six venues around the UK, the projects would provide another chance to work collaboratively within the British Museum and our programme partner network.
Research Fellowships: Further opportunities for past participants to spend time at another institution working on collaborative research projects, expanding their global networks and exchanging knowledge with international colleagues.
ITP resources and digital engagement: To complement our ITP+ courses, the Museum would plan a series of virtual meetings to bring together as many alumni as possible to discuss and debate global museum issues. We also aim to redesign our databases and create online resource platforms, with colleagues around the globe sharing information and advice.
This generous support from the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust and the match-funders will make a positive and long-lasting impact on our participants, our partners, and our entire global network. We hope you will join us in thanking everyone who has pledged their support to the Programme.