Summer programme 2019: course content planning

Rebecca Horton, International Training Programme Coordinator

Since October 2018 the ITP team and department reps have been in conversation around the fellow selection process for the 2019 summer programme. Now, at the start of 2019, we begin to plan the content of the 6 week training programme.

Last week Claire, Jess and I spent the day reviewing reports, evaluations, lessons learnt documents and notes from conferences and training we have attended over the last year. Based on these documents and each of our experiences we shaped a 6 week summer programme which incorporates:

• annual essential group sessions with up to date content and delivery-based improvements
• department time
• object in focus time
• UK partner placements
• workshops which address current issues in the museum sector
• subject specialist sessions
• gallery visits, drop in sessions with the ITP team, time to prepare for each day of sessions and regular opportunity to reflect on ITP sessions with other fellows
• programme based day trips
• social day and evening events

A major change confirmed for this years ITP will be the content of the physical coursebook and programme. In order to better prepare fellows for each week of the ITP and each day of sessions, we are working to develop these resources so that they are more user-friendly, interactive and objective-focused. We trailed a version of these resources with fellows attending the 2018 MA conference and National Museums Northern Ireland programme, and as a result of their feedback will adapt these changes to the summer programme.

I always find these planning meetings fun as they kick start feelings of excitement and anticipation of the experience of the packed 6 week summer programme and welcoming more fellows to the ITP network. We look forward to keeping you up to date with the progress of the 2019 summer programme!