Paper short abstract:

Museums are important engines of research and knowledge production, all above university museums. They can contribute to making research from Africa more visible and accessible. How is the potential of museums in sub-Saharan Africa and of transcontinental networks to be assessed in this respect?

Paper long abstract:

Besides university and research institutes, journals and books, publishing houses and repositories, museums are important engines of research and knowledge production, all above scientific and university museums. How is the potential of the African "museum-scape" and of transcontinental networks to be assessed in this respect? To what extent can they contribute to making research from Africa more visible and accessible? This paper intends to present a current trilateral museum research partnership between Africa and Europe and to analyse the actual and potential contributions in research from the African side as well as the premises, conditions and modalities of its engagement with other involved partner institutions. It highlights amongst other the findings of an international conference on museum cooperation between Africa and Europe held in December 2016 (www.musethno.uzh.ch/en/conference2016), elaborating on knowledge production and dissemination as well as on the (pre-) conditions and requirements of larger long-term partnerships. Which research forms, outcomes and outputs are conceivable? How about publications, exhibitions, databases, digital copies, websites, staff exchange and tandems? What goes along with collaborations and "knowledge partnerships" with institutions in the North?