DEVELOPMENT OF MUSEULOGICAL CENTRE AT KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

This chapter presents the background to the study, the statement of the problem, purpose of the study, specific objective of the study, research questions, scope of the study, significance, based on management of electronic information resources.

1.1 Background to the study

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) defines a museum as: a non-profit making permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits for purposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment(Moore, 2001).

A university museum is a repository of collections run by a university, typically founded to aid teaching and research within the institution of higher learning. The Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford in England is an early example, originally housed in the building that is now the Museum of the History of Science. A more recent example is the Holburne Museum of Art in Bath, originally constructed as a hotel in 1796 it is now the official museum of the University of Bath (Hamilton, 2005).

University museums are represented by a variety of historical, traditional and novel entities, such as anatomical theaters and archeology museums, natural science and art museums, history museums, planetariums, arboretums and aquariums, archives and house-museums, science and arts centers, ecomuseums, hospital museums, and contemporary art galleries, as well as discipline-specific collections hosted by academic departments and institutes; some special collections are hosted by the university libraries. In general, university museums and collections are classified based on disciplinary criteria or the nature of the artifacts (Lourenço, 2005).

Kyambogo University (KYU) is a public university in Uganda. It was established in 2003 by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 by merging Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo (UPK), the Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo (ITEK), and the Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE).

As of June 2017, KyU had six Faculties and 2Schools offering over 126 programme from certificate to PHD. It has a population of 20,000 resident students and over 39,000in 56 affiliated institutions covering Uganda.

1.2 Problem Statement

KyambogoUniversity merged from adjacent institutions which had evolved from different historical facts. It seems there is no effort being made to either preserve or protect the availablemuseulogical objects. There is no policy or organ responsible for their management consequent. The university is loosing its historical perspective which needs to be protected and urgently preserved. This proposal is therefore aligned toward that goal.

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study is to assess the requirements for thedevelopment of museulogicalcentre atKyambogoUniversity.

1.4 Specific objectives of the study

1. To assess the current state of museulogical objects at Kyambogo University
2. To identify the requirement for establishing a museulogicalcentre
3. To suggest best practices for sustaining the museulogicalcentre

1.5 Research questions

1. What is the current state of museological objects at Kyambogo University?
2. What requirements are needed for establishing amuseulogicalcentre?
3. What can be done to sustain the museulogicalcentre?

1.6 Scope of the study

1.6.1 Content scope

The study shall aim at assessing the requirements for the development of meseulogicalcentre at Kyambogo University.

1.6.2 Geographical scope

The study shall be carried out at Kyambogo University (KyU), main campus.

1.6.3 Time scope

The study shall consider information to the organization since the institution was established in 2003

1.7 Significance of the study

1. The findings shall avail the institution with information about the requirements needed for developing a museulogicalcentreand proper strategies to sustain it.
2. The findings of the study shall serve as a benchmark to other institutions who intend to develop a museulogicalcentre. It shall enable them to better understand the best development practices.
3. The study shall help in generating information for other researchers to advance research in this area.