Specifics of University Museum Cooperation in Ukraine

Abstract

The article discusses cooperation between university museums in Ukraine, with particular attention to the structure and operation of museum networks at different levels. At the institutional level, network ideology is manifested in the formation of museum complexes within universities. This type of close coordination makes it possible to directly influence the development strategy of universities, expands opportunities for creating innovative museum product, strengthens the position of museums within universities, and helps to draw the residents and guests of the city into the museum space. At the regional level, museum unions, based on the territorial or specialization principle, help to improve the professional skills of museum staff and protect their rights. They are also involved in the organization of community events (exhibitions, contests) and make museums more open and attractive to different categories of visitors. At present, we are witnessing the gradual development of museum associations in Ukraine, at the level of both individual universities (the museum complex of the V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University) and cities or regions (Association of University Museum Workers of Kharkiv). At the same time, Ukraine still needs a country-wide association of university museums, which would help to legitimize and strengthen the university museum community and preserve and facilitate access to museum collections of institutions of higher education. It is also necessary to increase the representation of Ukrainian museums in international organizations, which would make it possible to formulate more clearly the mission of the university museum in modern society. The lack of a clear understanding of the mission of the university museum and the latter’s uncertain position (including legal) in the academic and museum community can lead to the loss of not only museum identity, but also museums themselves and their collections. In Ukraine, we can speak of the first steps towards such self-organization at the institutional and regional levels, as well as attempts to create a national center through formal (association) and informal (conferences) structures. However, so far these attempts have been sporadic.