Museum compass 11.

Múzeumi iránytű 11.Summary

Changes of the first decade of the millennium have affected not only museums but the entire public collections area and elicited a need for internal changes. Museums have become more open and turned even more attention to their visitors. They have started to use methods of lifelong learning and established services. Still, neither in higher education nor in any adult education institutes there was no opportunity for museum managers and colleagues aiming to become managers in the future to acquire theoretical and practical, museum specified
knowledge.
New challenges, technological developments, cultural market – and the urge to renew museums – altogether have had the result of a demand to appreciate expertise of museum managers. Because of this new situation it is inevitable to develop not only the professional but also economic and legal knowledge and managerial skills. The need to provide an opportunity to acquire knowledge - that is not integrated in formal education – in a well-organized form was first discussed in the middle of the first decade of the millennium. Formal frames of professional trainings for museum managers had to be created. This type of education was launched in the form of adult education in 2006 with the support of the ministry of culture.
By now nearly a hundred of students have acquired an accredited qualification in ‘Museums for Everyone’ Program – Reinforcement of the educational and training role of museums – Central methodology development with the support of a European Union tender (TÁMOP 3.2.8./A-8-2008-0002). The programme has been realized in Hungarian Open Air Museum - Museum Education Centre (MOKK) since 2009.
We plan to provide students up-to-date, theoretically established, practical leadership- and organizational theories, planning-, economic-, legal- and marketing specialized knowledge. Our aim is to help managers develop their managerial skills. Volumes of Museum Compass not only help establish and deepen students' knowledge but also concern areas that are beyond the curriculum.
What makes a good manager? Do you born to be one or could anyone obtain skills to be professional? This was our question in Museum Compass Vol. 9. when we first released our series under the name of Museum management 1. That was the first time we had the opportunity to go beyond the standard curriculum of the course. Summarizing experience gained from earlier courses and feedback from students and teachers we decided to systematize knowledge so that it is available for a wider public. Conception of a two-volume issue was born. Its structure was outlined by Káldy Mária, dr. Cseri Miklós, dr. Bereczki Ibolya, Sághi Ilona and dr. Vásárhelyi Tamás, members of the MOKK team with the contribution of dr. Vígh Annamária, head of Department of Public Collections of Ministry of National Resources. In the stage of preparation we had to face the problem that shortage of resource in professional literature is so considerable that a thorough curriculum could only be realized in more volumes with many years' work and that we also should keep up with legal and economic changes. The first volume came out in December 2010 with main topics of professional museum work, strategic planning, marketing, communication, visitor management.
This, second volume, consists of four great thematic units. The first unit introduces legal knowledge essential for museum managers even in the short run. Studies present control system of finances, orders of document handling, information of copyright and employment law in museums, regulations of heritage and tether of authorities and finally, EU legal regulations on museums.
Studies in the second chapter are about organizational development, pay attention to personal competences of managers and also help them handle human resources and advance performance of employees.
The third chapter is fundamental for every museum manager as it provides information about institutional management and is a practical help to submit and account tenders. Nowadays public procurement is a significant act in institutional management. Thus, we present a study that gives support to follow rules and instructions. Another study will help with practical maintenance as it contains information about operation, safety and safeguarding.
In the last chapter we collected useful information for those who govern or plan to govern an institution in the future. Bases, tasks, main areas and opportunities of museum informatics are discussed here by two of our authors.
Short summaries initiate each studies that aim to raise attention. Studies are also finished with summaries, thoughts and suggestion that, if considered, may serve as great aid to make an institute even more efficient.
Where it was necessary we also integrated lists of referring law valid at the time of editing the volume, however, please remember they are not complete.
Similarly to previous volumes, this one is also downloadable from www.muzeumokmindenkinek.hu. All you need to do is register and all volumes will be available. Our hope is that these utmost useful writings will prove to be a great help not only for museum managers but also a wider range of professional public. We wish our readers would enjoy and benefit from our collection.