The SAWA Museum Academy is a joint initiative of the Sharjah Museums Authority, the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region together with the University of Applied Sciences Berlin (HTW) aimed at students of museum studies and young museum professionals from the MENA Region and Germany.

The SAWA Museum Academy (SAWA is the Arabic word for together) is devised as an introductory professional qualification program for those who want to learn about the diverse operational areas that museums cover. The programmatic name was chosen to represent the structure of the Academic program, which by design consistently enforces mutual learning in all museum areas.

SAWA Museum Academy is designed to create a multicultural learning environment for Arab and German students to jointly share learning experiences, innovative approaches and methods in cultural appropriate museology, with the aim of gaining awareness and fundamental skills in multicultural museum management with all its associated special areas.

The SAWA Museum Academy program is taught by Arab-German teaching-teams, which devise each module of the curriculum in collaboration, taking into account the different local museological practices in the MENA Region and Sharjah, Europe and Berlin.

The program includes two-phase program:

• First phase takes place in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• Second phase takes place in Berlin, Germany. 

The SAWA Modules address museological subjects such as

• What is a museum? Local versus International perspectives
• Collecting and Documenting: Participative strategies for past and present
• Curatorial strategies: From single to shared authorship
• Museum Communication: Access, Engagement and Interpretation

Eligibility for SAWA Museum Academy participation and grant

Individuals interested in participating in the SAWA Museum Academy should provide documentation to attest that they meet the following requirements:

MENA Region or SHARJAH/UAE

• Applicant is currently-enrolled as an student in Museum Studies, or
• Applicant is in the early stages of a museum-related career
• Applicant has excellent English language skills
• Applicant is motivated to encounter different cultures with mutual respect

BERLIN (University)

• Applicant is currently enrolled as a graduate student at the HTW Berlin (Museumskunde M.A) or at a University in Berlin and with a focus on museological themes
• Applicant has excellent English language skills
• Applicant is motivated to encounter different cultures with mutual respect

BERLIN (SMB)

• Applicant is working as Scientific assistant i.F. at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin,
• Applicant has excellent English language skills
• Applicant is motivated to encounter different cultures with mutual respect

The SAWA Museum Academy offers applicants the possibility to apply for a grant, covering travel, housing and tuition fees. Please indicate in your application if this is of interest to you.

All applicants must provide proof of health insurance for the period of SAWA Museum Academy 2019 in Sharjah.

Open Application Notification