CAIRO: Egypt's first ever academic institute for museology will be established in Cairo by the Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA), the ministry said in a press statement on Sunday. The institute will be set up in Casdagli Palace in downtown Cairo with an initial intake of 60 students. The institute will train Egyptian museum curators and conservators on the recent innovations and new technology used in museums for improved displays, object restoration and general museological skills. Courses will be two years in duration and will be accredited by the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education two years after the institute's foundation. Eventually, it will also be able to offer MA and PhD programs in Museum Studies and Heritage Management. Minister of State for Antiquities Zahi Hawass said the project is being made possible with a generous grant of $5 million from USAID provided through the Ministry of International Cooperation. Ramadan Hussein, Archaeological Supervisor at the MSA, said that the institute of Museology will “seek professional collaboration with international museum organizations like the American Association of Museums and the International Council of Museums' Committee for Egyptology, in order to develop curricula and training programs modeled on international standards of museum practice. In addition, the MSA will be recruiting foreign and Egyptian professionals to assist with its teaching and training programs. The institute will admit trainees and students from amongst the MSA's current museum staff as well as others who are seeking jobs in Egyptian museums.” BM
