Sharjah Museums Department (SMD), the Goethe-Institut Abu Dhabi (GI) and the Robert Bosch Stiftung have joined hands and established the Robert Bosch Cultural Manager Fellowship in Sharjah. This initiative aims at providing professional development training for staff members across the various departments and museums of SMD. Further to that the Fellowship will establish links between Sharjah Museums Department and German museum professionals.
As per the agreement, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Goethe-Institut have assigned Mrs. Susanne Weiss as Cultural Manager to provide and co-ordinate staff training opportunities within SMD. She joins three other Cultural Managers assigned by the organisation for the region including the UAE, Morocco, Yemen and Egypt. The training is aimed at developing the talent and abilities of staff to further the mission of SMD to deliver the highest quality of museums services for residents in Sharjah and visitors.
“SMD is committed to nurturing the talent of our staff members and their long term professional development. Through our partnership with Goethe-Institut, we want to continue to enhance the skills of our national workforce and provide them with a rewarding career in the cultural sector,†said Manal Ataya, Director General, SMD.
Heiko Sievers, Regional Director of the Goethe-Institut in Cairo, said: “In the Emirate of Sharjah, the devotion to the arts, the dedication to the preservation of cultural heritage, the high standards of cultural infrastructure and the very productive climate for artistic creativity and international exchange are truly extraordinary. It is therefore an enormous privilege and pleasure for the Goethe-Institut to be invited to assist in devising and implementing training programs in all areas of museology for the SMD employees.â€
“We are delighted to send a Cultural Manager to the Emirate of Sharjah. Sharjah Museums Department is a highly attractive location for a fellow of our Cultural Manager Programmeâ€, said Dr. Bettina Berns, Programme Director at the Robert Bosch Stiftung in Stuttgart, Germany.
Mrs. Weiss has extensive experience as curator and artistic director for a number of internationally renowned museums and galleries in Germany and internationally. She will stay in Sharjah for at least one year as Cultural Manager, and will conduct extensive evaluation and develop training opportunities in conjunction with senior SMD staff and department managers.
She will also organise introductory sessions for all staff on the basics of museums such as ethics and mission. In co-operation with experts from Germany Mrs. Weiss will also organise more specialised, hands-on professional development programmes for staff members to build on their skills.
The Sharjah Museums Department, established in 2006 by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, aims to promote the emirate’s rich legacy of arts, heritage and culture. For more information on Sharjah Museums Department, please visit the website www.sharjahmuseums.ae.
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About Sharjah Museums Department
The Sharjah Museums Department was established in 2006 by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, as an independent government department that aims to deliver the highest quality of museums for the people of Sharjah and all its visitors, through its facilities, exhibitions, and programmes of learning, research and community outreach.
Sharjah Museums have over 17 sites in Sharjah that cover the arts, Islamic culture, archaeology, science, aquariums, heritage and natural history of Sharjah and the region
