The University of Portsmouth's Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures and Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), cementing the start of a strong three-year partnership.
The agreement will lead to the exchange of knowledge, development of new research initiatives which expand public understanding of RMG sites, subjects and collections and broaden student access to resources that foster their academic and professional development.
The aim of the partnership is to bring together the research and curatorial strengths of both organisations, which have a mutual interest in the social and cultural history of seafarers and maritime communities. Researchers associated with the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures explore the global significance of urban-maritime communities and addresses coastal challenges through research, cultural initiatives, and community partnerships.
The MoU with Royal Museums Greenwich - a collection of unique historic sites and collections, including the National Maritime Museum and Cutty Sark - will provide an opportunity to expand and strengthen this work.
Professor Brad Beaven and Associate Professor Karl Bell , co-directors of the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures at the University of Portsmouth, said: "Our organisations share interests in the social and cultural dimensions of maritime history, and we will be able to explore new opportunities to co-produce content, resources and more. Bringing together academic and curatorial expertise in this way is key to generating new knowledge and sharing it with the public."
The MoU establishes a framework to pursue joint initiatives in areas such as:
Collaborative funding bids
Enhancing heritage collaborations through exploring social and cultural historical approaches and research
Enhancing access and engagement opportunities
Knowledge transfer and exchange
Dr Helen Mears, Head of Curatorship and Research at Royal Museums Greenwich, said: "Discussions and interactions over the last year have demonstrated how much our organisations have in common including our shared commitment to engaging researchers and publics with the richness and complexity of maritime history. The MoU provides a further foothold for formal research collaborations, through which we hope to promote even wider access to RMG's sites, subjects and collections."
