The SAWA Museum Studies Program is a hands-on cultural and knowledge exchange initiative organised between Sharjah and Berlin. It explores the differences and similarities among diverse museum practices, helping inspire innovative approaches to museum work. The program also serves as a platform for dialogue and professional engagement, bringing together museum specialists and emerging practitioners from the Arab world and Europe, while fostering dialogue and collaboration among cultural and academic institutions.

Now in its 11th edition, the SAWA Museum Studies Program recorded the highest participation since its launch, bringing together 24 participants from academic and cultural institutions from across the globe, further reinforcing its position as one of the leading international platforms for museum studies and professional development within the museum sector.

The program featured four core learning modules, in addition to a specialised session on diversity. Covering the concept and role of museums, collecting and documentation, curatorial strategies, and museum communication, the modules were delivered through a blend of lectures, workshops, collaborative projects, and site visits to several museums and other institutions in Sharjah. This approach enabled participants to connect theoretical knowledge with practical experience across key areas of museum practice.

In 2025, Global Studies University (GSU) joined the program as a new partner, further expanding its scope of international academic collaboration alongside the continued support of the Goethe-Institut. This partnership helped broaden the program’s horizons and strengthen its impact at both regional and international levels.

As part of SMA’s commitment to maintaining the program’s academic standards, participants for this edition were selected through interviews conducted prior to its launch. Admission was limited to candidates who successfully completed the selection process and met the participation criteria, ensuring the program attracted promising and specialised talent in the museum field.

The 2025–2026 edition brought together eight participants from Global Studies University (GSU), seven participants from Berlin, and eight participants from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), three from the United Arab Emirates, reflecting the programme's rich cultural and geographic diversity and fostering meaningful dialogue and the exchange of professional experiences among participants.

The programme also featured an outstanding line-up of internationally recognised museum experts who delivered a series of online keynote sessions. Speakers included Sophie Perl, Curator for Participation and Open Spaces at Stadtmuseum Berlin; Manal Ataya, Museums Advisor at Sharjah Museums Authority; Professor Bénédicte Savoy, Professor of Modern Art History at Technische Universität Berlin, Germany; and Heba Abdel Gawad, an Egyptian heritage and museum activist and researcher, who serves as Senior Curator of Anthropology at the Horniman Museum and Gardens.

Their presentations explored a range of contemporary museum topics, including participatory museum practices, community engagement, heritage management, and the future of museums.

Through its integrated academic and practical content, the programme enriched participants' knowledge, strengthened their professional competencies, and created valuable opportunities for dialogue and the exchange of expertise.

It also contributed to advancing museum practice in line with international best practices while fostering sustainable professional connections between participants and cultural and academic institutions from around the world.

Since its launch, the SAWA Museum Studies Program has continued to strengthen its position as a leading international platform in the field of museum studies by bringing together museum professionals and emerging practitioners from the Arab world and Europe in an interactive learning environment that enriches the exchange of expertise, encourages innovative museum practices, and helps prepare qualified museum professionals capable of responding to the rapidly evolving museum sector.

These efforts align with Sharjah Museums Authority's vision of safeguarding cultural heritage and reinforcing the role of museums as centres for learning, knowledge, and cultural exchange.