Since 1986, PREMA has developed five interdependent activities :
And on November 11, 1998 was created the :
Ecole du Patrimoine Africain (EPA)
International university courses
They last 9 months and amount to 1200 hours of pedagogical activities
comprising : lectures, practical work, pedagogical outings and study
tours in African and European museums.
87 participants.
38 countries.
With :
The National University of Benin
The University of London
The University of Paris 1
95% of the participants graduated.
90% still work in the same field.
Their aim is to create a programme of preventive conservation in the
museums of the country hosting the course. Museum professionals from
neighbouring countries often participate.
Courses last three months.
The aim is to train two teachers (one English-speaking and one French-speaking)
in various fields of heritage conservation.
In 1997, 80% of the teachers of the international university
course and 90% of the teachers of the national/sub-regional courses
were African museum professionnals.
The PREMA database, started in 1991, offers many possibilities
for regional co-operation, and is an important step towards the creation
of an information network on conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
It gathers more than 700 items of information on courses, participants,
teachers, technical assistance, sponsors, African museums and museums
possessing African artefacts and is a source of information on a variety
of activities in which institutions and museum professionals
participate.
Link between professionals and institutions, the database reinforces
dialogue and enables the good functioning of the PREMA programme
and African museums.
Directors' seminars
Their aim is to integrate preventive conservation in the overall
development of museums.The seminars last from one to two weeks.
100 participants.
46 countries.
Technical assistance/Network development
This programme aims at promoting projects in preventive conservation by
giving institutions scientific and technical material, equipment and
documentation ; by allocating grants to participate in meetings and
conferences, and by financing special programmes.