A83222 Heritage and Competition

Access to the Laboratory is limited to a maximum of 15 students.

To be allowed to participate, it is required a score of minimum 7 points on 10 in the first intermediate test (28/10/2013). Available places will be assigned starting from the higher mark in the test (in case of equality, points in 'flash-quizzes' will be accounted).

Students willing to participate to the Laboratory must notify it in advance, at the beginning of the course (in any case, by the 4th class, October the 3rd).

Every student is allowed to participate to the laboratory as individual or joining small groups (up to 4 peoples), following their personal preferences about both work methodology and fellow group members.  

Aim of the Laboratory is to put the student directly in touch with the work of professionals who manage and promote heritage inside some important Italian companies. During the laboratory the students will experience the 'back-stage' behind public events based on corporate history and corporate culture. The goal is to develop a better understanding of the value of heritage, considering actual cases of application.

The Laboratory is possible thanks to the cooperation of the association Museimpresa (www.museimpresa.org), which gather together almost 50 among the most important Italian corporate museums and archives.

Every year, Museimpresa organizes a rich panel of public events within the Week of Enterprise Culture (promoted by Confindustria, the Italian entrepreneurial union, during the 3rd week of November).

Before the beginning and at the end of the activity the instructor will plan meetings with a participating students, but the Laboratory is intended to stress their attitude to independent work outside the usual classroom environment.

Participating students will select one among the Museimpresa's events, and, after attended it, they will be put into contact with the organizers. The experience of the event and the following interview(s) will provide them with information to prepare a report about the 'beyond the scene' of the event, focusing on the topic of how heritage could be used in an actual case.

Considering that Museimpresa's events are usually held in Italian, international students who are not confident with this language, are invited to form groups with fellow members at native-speaking level.

It is important to notice that all the events – because they are real and oriented to a wide audience – are planned outside the usual lesson time (evening, week end) and outside Castellanza (many in Milan, could be easily reached using public transportation).

It is full responsibility of the participating students to organize themselves in the better way to participate to the events and to scheduling the interviews (however, the instructor is always available for suggestion).

The skill showed in organizing the participation, the interviews and dealing with Museipresa's members will rewarded in the evaluation.

The Laboratory awards from -2 to 4 points, which will be added to the score gained during the course (points exceeding 30 will be considered for 'distinction')

Students must present a 1000-1500 words report encompassing the following topics:

• Description of the event
• Description of the organizer (museum or archive)
• Short historical profile of the promoting company
• Main critical points encountered by the organizers
• Meaning of the event within the promoting company's strategy
• Personal impression and comments

A detailed evaluation grid will be communicate to the participating students during the preliminary meeting.

The paper is due by December, the 6th.