Programme information

In this module students explore and discuss the practical and ethical challenges of museum and heritage work in relation to issues of sustainability, inclusivity and digitality. They will become acquainted with innovative approaches and methods in conversation with experienced professionals and through workshops and field visits. The module Engaged Professionalism will challenge students to think deeply about the role of museums and heritage in society and the role of museums and heritage practitioners in advocating for values of sustainability and inclusivity.

To this end, the module gives an overview of key issues in contemporary museum and heritage practice, such as community engagement, governance, and local and international advisory and governing bodies such as ICOM, ICOMOS and UNESCO. A variety of lecturers, including professionals from the heritage field, will discuss topics like restitution,(il)legal trade, relevant (inter)national legislation and the role of stakeholders and communities.

To be able to:

• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of ethical and practical dilemmas with which heritage professionals are confronted;
• Demonstrate historical knowledge and historical awareness in professional or educational context.
• Choose existing or develop new instruments with the aim to facilitate heritage professionals to meet ethical and practical challenges.
• Critically assess and evaluate ethical and practical dilemmas;
• Formulate a vision on ethical and practical dilemma’s that heritage professionals face;
• Propose to the most appropriate funder for a given museum and heritage project and justify this choice.
• Effectively explain the complexity of a given museum & heritage field to an intercultural audience in English.
• Identify personal knowledge gaps which need to be addressed in order to meet short-term professional career goals.

Short class room assignments, documentation of, and reflection on, field visits are prepared in the course of the module as part of formative assessment. The lecturer will provide concise feedback after which the student has the ability to amend the work, as all will be included in the final portfolio. In addition there will be a presentation in an intercultural and intercultural setting. Students are challenged to test their presentation skills in a formal setting of a foreign audience.

Students will be summatively assessed based on:

• A critical portfolio based on continued documentation and reflection on field visits and class work, as well as a final discussion thereof. The materials produced during the module need to be accompanied by a statement on further personal interests and knowledge gaps, and suggestions for the content of the international excursion and the Intervention Design workshops;
• A funding proposal. In order to assess the fundraising abilities required as a present-day museum and heritage professional, students are to write a funding proposal for a project of choice based on an actual call for proposals. In this way, students are not only challenged to look for funding opportunities which may become helpful later on, they may actual benefit from the proposal itself. A key element of the assessment is the ability to frame the project in the way most appealing to the chosen funding body.