ICOFOM STUDY SERIES, Vol 54. No. 1 – 2026
Imagining the next generation of museum professionals: bridging gaps, breaking barriers

ICOFOM hosted its 48th Annual Symposium, during the 27th ICOM General Conference, Dubai 2025, in collaboration with ICTOP and COMCOL.
This edition of the ICOFOM Study Series, further gathers seven expanded papers from the symposium by invited authors, resulting in a volume that explores the future of museum education and professional training in a rapidly changing world. Bringing together contributions from across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, it examines how museum studies programmes are responding to evolving professional needs, digital transformation, decolonisation, and community-driven approaches.
Across diverse national and institutional contexts, the authors consider how education can better connect theory and practice while developing museum professionals who are adaptable, critically reflective, socially responsible, and responsive to local communities.
Together, the contributions advocate for plural approaches to museology and for training that prepares professionals to navigate both local realities and global challenges.

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Credits: 

Guest Editors / Rédacteurs invités / Editores invitados
Melissa Aguilar, Karen Brown, Supreo Chanda

Preface
Karen Brown

Editorial Team / Equipo editorial / Équipe éditoriale
Editor-in-Chief, ICOFOM: M. Elizabeth Weiser
Copy Editors: Ross Tidwell (English); Orphée Lamotte (French); Melissa Aguilar (Spanish)

Acknowledgements
The editors, and all members of ICOFOM, wish to thank our collaborators ICTOP and COMCOL for joining our Call for Papers and our stimulating collaboration at ICOM Dubai 2025. We also acknowledge the support of Chief Editor of the ISS series Professor Elizabeth Weiser. Background research for the Dubai conference, Resolution, and publications have been supported by ICOM SAREC fund, and the UKRI Shared Island Stories project no. EP/X023036/1.