Recently, the China Scholarship Council announced the approval results of the 2026 International Cooperation Training Program for Innovative Talents. The “Innovative Talent Training Program for Preventive Conservation of Museum Collections,” jointly submitted by the National Museum of China and seven cultural institutions including the Guangdong Museum, has been successfully approved. This marks the first national-level innovative project in China’s cultural heritage field funded by the China Scholarship Council.
The International Cooperation Training Program for Innovative Talents aims to cultivate globally competitive professionals with innovative capabilities for domestic universities, research institutes, and enterprises. The “Innovative Talent Training Program for Preventive Conservation of Museum Collections” focuses on disciplines and industries related to preventive conservation of museum collections in China. It strives to drive systematic innovation in theoretical methodologies, technical frameworks, and practical applications, cultivating high-caliber, internationally minded professionals for heritage preservation and sustainable development in China’s cultural sector. The program plans to sponsor 16 visiting scholars annually, with each participating institution nominating 1–2 candidates per year.
This initiative demonstrates innovation in thematic focus, training models, and anticipated outcomes. Addressing shared challenges in preventive conservation, it establishes a “many-to-many” collaboration mechanism between domestic and international institutions to synergistically advance the development of high-level global talent. Additionally, it adopts a “hub-and-spoke” strategy—leveraging the project to expand talent development across regions such as North China, South China, and Northwest China, while systematically fostering expertise in diverse domains including unearthed artifacts, underwater cultural relics, inherited collections, and natural specimens.
As a key participant, Guangdong Museum has long been committed to the conservation, restoration, and research of cultural heritage in Lingnan region, with specialized focus on maritime artifacts, coastal defense relics, Sino-Western cultural exchange objects, revolutionary relics, and preventive conservation techniques tailored to Lingnan’s humid subtropical climate. The museum plays a leading and exemplary role in heritage preservation across South China. Its contributions were pivotal in the planning and application of this national-level talent initiative.
Moving forward, Guangdong Museum will actively engage in project implementation and management, deepen international collaboration, and dedicate efforts to nurturing heritage conservation professionals with global perspectives and innovative capacities—injecting fresh momentum into the high-quality development of cultural endeavors in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and beyond.
