ICOM and Palace Museum co-host training center

An international training center for museum studies unveiled its nameplate at the Palace Museum in Beijing recently.

The training center is co-organized by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the Chinese National Committee of ICOM and the Palace Museum, which is more commonly known as the Forbidden City. The three sides have signed a framework agreement regarding the training center.

ICOM was founded in 1946 with its headquarters in Paris. In 2010, the 22nd ICOM general conference - which is hosted every three years - was held in Shanghai. The Beijing training center is an outcome of that conference and the ICOM's first overseas training center, said ICOM President Hans-Martin Hinz.

"The idea is to offer capacity-building programs for museum professionals from China and other countries," he said.

Palace Museum Deputy Director Song Jirong was appointed director of the center. A one and a half day seminar that followed the opening ceremony discussed the center's tasks, themes and future curricula.

The center plans to host two training sessions each year for international museum professionals, especially those from the Asia-Pacific region.

The first session is scheduled to be held in November, Shan Jixiang, director of Palace Museum, said.

"The exchange will upgrade the knowledge of museum professionals, which will benefit the museums, the visitors and the community," ICOM President Hinz said.