me in my career. The Collections Management Certification Program with the wonderful teacher Fionn Zarubica has expanded my views on matters of handling museum objects, organization exhibitions, the running of museums, galleries and also a generally healthy and positive attitude in life that can be implemented in any field or profession. I have changed my perception on how to properly and responsibly manage a museum collection. The greatest part for me was participating in the program with inspiring colleagues from whom I learned so much.

methodology and a broader view of how to best carry out my work. All this was made even more unique by the teacher Fionn Zarubica who was able to transmit her knowledge and experience to all participants with a lot of generosity and attention to each individual student, as only a good teacher can do. For me it was an opportunity for growth both as a professional and a human, because I had the opportunity to share more than three months my life with a group of wonderful people!

protection institutions and students who aspire to enter this profession, to attend it. The Collections Management Certification Program was realized through the period of eleven weeks, partialized into three sessions, through the course of a year. Each session was dealing with the complexity of a wide variety of collections problematics. The initial phase was primarily focused on the essential issues of the problem of care of collections, within institutions. Afterwards, during the Session II, we had interesting practical exercises in working with objects and theoretical public aspects of collections through exhibitions and loans, in the last segment, in Session III, we received a significant insight into the system of protecting and preserving museological treasures. The thematic approach was fundamentally based on preventive conservation, art registration methods, secure art handling, packing, storing, transportation, and creative exhibition planning, mount making, installation and de-installation. The participants of the course were from different professional backgrounds, so it was a really precious experience to collaborate with them and exchange ideas. What inspired me the most was the fact that I received constant relevant feedback, on a daily basis, about my developing in various domains, from my professor Fionn Zarubica. At the end, all participants received a professional certification, which is a valuable, and a deeply motivating acknowledgement of qualifications for implementing valid solutions in diverse spheres, in international institutions.

level of qualification and expertise, pushes their boundaries, both on a professional and personal level. This program creates good specialists in collections management, and provides them with tools that can be used in all aspects of life. It shifts perspectives from accepting things as they are towards making a difference. The discussions that left the biggest impressions on me were those about ethics and integrity. Those qualities are set as a precondition of professional work. Everything else, the skill, the knowledge and the technique are build upon them. That is a strong foundation for any career. Classes take place in the pleasant and friendly American Corner, which has many attractive and educational programs and contents. All in all, I am very satisfied, proud and grateful to have been a part of it, and I highly recommend it. 

each person with things they are interesting in, or push us to learn more in the field where we have a lack of knowledge. I really enjoyed this program. I had the opportunity to learn a lot of new things closely connected to my profession. Through the lessons and stories from personal experience, our teacher gave us an insight into the work and the good practice of foreign museums. Then, during our visits to Belgrade museums we were able to see where we are compared to them. Now we not only know how to take care of museum objects, but also, equally important is that we learned how to take care of ourselves, how to work on ourselves to become better people and how to be collection managers. 

be on the same boat for almost five months. We went through passionate topics and were able to gather a ton of articles, practical tips, and feedback from the instructor. Thank you, Fionn! I hope we could meet personally.

helping us advance not only as museum professionals but also provided us with a variety of skills and techniques to cope with everyday life. Despite our strong resistance towards her strict and professional approach, she did not back down and by doing so eventually showed us that we can be what we aspire to be even though we live in the Balkans. Every lesson we had was eye-opening. I feel like I have learned more from her during this short time spent together about the museum world, than I learned in five years of formal education. The assignments were not a delight, they took so much of my time and yet I feel weird about not doing a terminology definition next Monday. The class that ended up being all female was this astonishing mixture of individuals with views and opinions that were completely different and somehow she managed to please us all. Witnessing the progress other ladies made before my eyes made me hope that I had progress at least partially as much as they did. I strongly believe in these amazing ladies and I look forward to seeing their future individual successes. Through this program I have learned much, I saw that I need to learn a lot more but it also made me want to achieve more, made me believe in myself and basically made me fearless. For that I will always be grateful to Fionn and I can only hope that more people from Bosnia and Herzegovina will have the chance to meet her and learn from her.

as its founder, gave all participants insight into a completely different museum world than the one that exists in the Balkans. The knowledge acquired during the program is invaluable, not only for those just entering the world of museum professionals, but also for those who have long been part of it. It gives tools to change museums and cultural institutions for the better. Fionn Zarubica inspires her students about their work and encourages their passion. For those who seek professional development this program is a must.

finish everything on time. Fionn Zarubica was patient enough to reply to every single e-mail I sent. She inspired me to be believe again in myself. I learned to strictly follow instructions and new writing techniques like writing an essay. However, there were times when I wanted to drop out because I didn’t believe I could master it. But the excitement about new topics, and Mrs Fionn’s support made me stay and successfully finish the course. I would recommend this course to everyone who is looking to broaden their horizons and learn new and interesting things. Even though English is not my mother tongue, I managed to finish the course. So, I think that everyone who has motivation can finish this course regardless of his or her level of English. I would like to be a part of this active and enthusiastic team again in the future. I am looking forward to new courses.

understands the material and also allows that every person express his or her opinion about the matter.  It was an honor to attend this program and I recommend to all who wish for a quality education to apply to this program.  Thank you Fionn, you made a difference!!!

intense period is waiting.  Everything learned will have to be passed on to other colleagues and put into practice in museum work.  However, much more time will be needed to think about our lives, feelings, the ways in which we function as human beings, and about how to achieve happiness and acceptance of ourselves. Fionn provided us with a good basis for this inner questioning and reflecting.  Those who stay until the end will realize at some point that this is just where they were supposed to be, and that they received just what they needed without even maybe looking for it.  We as well learned from each other. The group of classmates from the very beginning taught me something really valuable.  Everyone can contribute in some way.  It is so obvious from the outside, but sometimes it is hard to acknowledge it in one’s self.

helped me to understand better myself so I can understand my environment. It gave me the strength to fight for the right things. It helped me to love and appreciate myself more. I learned how to organize better my activities. I made lifelong friendship with so many people for such a short period of time. I learned to create and nurture interpersonal relationships. I learned how important I am as individual and also as a part of a group. Fionn is a great teacher; she puts her heart in the things she teaches. I am deeply touched by her approach. Fionn helped us to create safe and reliable environment around us. And of course it was great and fun all the time!

style of teaching and involving all the participants in the course was unique. The assignments were very enriching not only in the subject matter but also in the essay writing skills. I did not feel any of the drawback of the typical online courses. Considering the participants being from different parts of the world and different cultures, Fionn handled that beautifully. Her deep knowledge in the museum, collections and various religions & cultures are impressive. The content and reference materials she provided in the class were excellent and will be a good reference for future. Even though I am from a Information Technology background, I had been involved in collection management for a non-profit organization. The course was very beneficial not only for textile conservation, but also in general conservation. Anybody who is considering taking her course, I strongly recommend to go ahead and take the course. Like me, I am sure you will be glad you did.

and teamwork. It changed my way of thinking and doing things, and now I know how to solve problems more easily and efficiently. A very important change I experienced was in my personal life. Because of this program I become a better, more responsible, more mature and happier person. I learned how to look at life more positively and see opportunities, not obstacles. I am more creative and confident, and know I can make changes and do my future job properly. Every part of this program changed the quality of my life. This influence would not be so impactful if there was not the specific personality of Fionn Zarubica, who made things interesting and memorable. She supported and challenged us to make changes and feel confident and strong; every day was a special and step forward to being a better person, better colleague and better professional.

academic research, a global view of the situations of the institution in other parts of the world, formal writing style and reflection on professionalism and ethics. Fionn Zarubica is fabulous! She provides most helpful studying materials, and most insightful comments and guidance, shaping your professional mind firmly but patiently. It is also a great pleasure to exchange with classmates, getting familiar with each other, and obtaining different points of view and thinking modes. Certainly participating in the course means putting in lots of effort but it absolutely pays off.

region. If it will be re-organized again I will strongly recommend to all colleagues.

other classmates. What stands out the most for me is Fionn Zarubica's approach to teaching, her dedication and connection to us students and incredibly rich course content. I think this course is essential for anyone working or thinking of working in museum or cultural institution, because of the breadth and quality of information Fionn Zarubica shares, as well as her ability to inspire everyone to be a better student, better professional, and ultimately a better person. This program influenced me in more ways than one, but above all, it challenged my perception that a lot is needed for any kind of change in Serbian museums. I now realize that with knowledge gained in this course and armed with positive change in attitude, we can start building healthier, happier centers of culture in our country, one step at the time.

were easy to follow and informative. I especially liked online course because it is for the first time that I was faced with that kind of learning. It was easy to follow and the best thing was that you have your on pace and time when you decided to work out the assignments. The colleagues enrolled in class were very interesting and we hope that will do some projects in the future together. Fionn Zarubica, our teacher, was strict but fair. That pushed us to be better students, to do our assignments and to have fun with it also.

this program affected my life? Well, the effects are still showing up, and it is the whole beauty of those three months of the program. When the puzzles started fitting in place, I started seeing Fionn Zarubica more like a life coach than a teacher. She gave me a brilliant insight on how to deal with situations, both professional and private.

We learned about many different aspects of working in the museum that I would never expect I will be introduced to, and that I thought it could be learned only by working in the museum environment. Fionn Zarubica is selfless in sharing her rich, impressive knowledge, she is an inspiring and gifted mentor, warm and protective, but really objective and insightful when it comes to dealing with her students. I think I will never forget Fionn Zarubica and this training course, as well as I will never forget my colleagues that I have met on this course. She unified us but at the same time, respected us for our uniqueness. By pushing our comfort zones of thinking and perceiving we first made changes in ourselves, in order to be able to make them in our community. Culture is about respect, community and sharing. It is about presenting beauty, knowledge and heritage that we had the luck to inherit from our ancestors. Fionn Zarubica taught us to understand the value of this inherited gems, the value of presenting them as they deserve to be presented and treated, as well as to value each spectator that is going to be affected and inspired by them. She taught us “Museum Magic” and we have learned many practical and methodological approaches in this training program. I now definitely feel more confident in pursuing a Museum career and strongly feel this vocation on a more humanitarian level.

in and of itself. It contributes to forming a better understanding of the value of communication, time and deadlines.

mentioned, she taught me punctuality, professionalism and to have passion for whatever I do in life!

museum employees. In her inspirational lessons professor Zarubica motivated me to use all my senses while observing, exploring, and discovering both the world of museums and the world inside me. I truly enjoyed all the activities of the program and the pleasant environment of the American Corner. Overall, I am really proud and grateful to have been a part of this course and our wonderful, friendly community.

in an interesting way, and also with some practical work. The special treats were our visits to museums, galleries and the Royal Palace. This was great opportunity to connect to museum professionals and to learn more about the every day functioning of these institutions. Mrs. Zarubica is a wonderful lady who manages to make the learning process so easy and fun. In this program I also made some great friends. I do recommend this program to all museum, and gallery professionals and art lovers. Thank you Fionn for this amazing experience.

be more organized, to have a plan in advance for every situation, to be a player in a team and to collaborate with colleagues; for people who are specifically working in museums, institutions and culture it’s perfect! I really learnt a lot from the course and I’m sure that it will help me in the future.

real life experience, learning through fun. And I will never forget the things I learned this way.  And most importantly, I made friends and met colleagues from different parts of the country, with different occupations and backgrounds. And we will, for sure, stay connected, on both, private and professional, levels. Fionn was not only our teacher; she was and will stay our friend!

our future collaborations.

top of the best and most useful courses I have ever attended. The obtained knowledge and experiences are milestones for my future commitment to the subject material from the course for which Ms. Zarubica should be praised.  There are only a few courses that can be recommended to all interested and Ms. Zarubica's course is certainly on top of all of them.

Ms. Zarubica heartily shared with us and tours we made through Belgrade’s exhibiting spaces and institutions helped in shaping, or more precisely improving, our professional ethics. The energy and comprehensive care invested in our class, irretrievably influenced a change in our perspectives, which, we hope, will have the further impact on local cultural life.

she has helped at every step. I am thankful to her for all her support. Every lecture was a new learning challenge but the programme design and its contents made me more enthusiastic towards the next lecture. The forum has helped all colleagues to be interactive and to share our views and ideas and express ourselves about our cultures. Our Instructor is a master of her field and she has helped both at professionnal and personal level.

but I also learned how to focus on relevant issues. Besides, I upgraded my writing and communication skills. The program was held online, so the forum served as a classroom. Still, there were dynamic discussions on the issues of the week and I learned from very interesting posts on each day of the program. I have not met friends from the group yet, but I hope I will. What I also admired about the program, is that I could implement what I learned almost instantly – in professional or everyday situations.

rewards of a museum professional’s job. However, the most valuable thing we gained from this course is the possibility to exchange experiences and ideas in an international context, which, I believe, broadened our horizons. Fionn Zarubica has yet again proved to be a wonderful lecturer and her carefully prepared presentations and materials were treats as much as they were lessons.

each and every person understands the knowledge, and also allows each and every person to express his or her attitude and opinion about the matter. From the professional, field-related point of view, I can only give her highest marks for her unselfish transmission of knowledge and experience to us. Apart from professional side of the class content, Fionn has make sure to help us grow personally. She made us feel confident and good about ourselves and she also made us believe that we could be the driving force of change in our community. And she managed that by widening our views on life and existence itself. It is hard to explain by words but every time on her class she made me feel like everything is possible. And last but not the least important is the group of amazing ladies with whom I have attended the program. Beautiful, talented, unique princesses! We have made ties that bind for life, which Fionn helped us strengthen. She made a safe space of our classroom where each on of the princesses could glow in her full beauty. And that is what opened us to each other and that is what will keep us connected forever. At the very end of this review, I have only words of gratitude to Fionn and ladies for this amazing experience and I have to say… this is only a beginning.

for deep introspection.  If we want the wheel to begin turn, we need to remove all obstacles. And it is an approach that definitely has won me.  Other participants, now my colleagues are also no less or no more than a treasure that I comprehend.  I do not doubt that my dear Fionn has a space in my heart, as all those who taught me and enlightened me, and she will be engraved in my heart, I think forever.  I once read somewhere: "Do not write your name on the sand, waves will wash it a way, do not write your name in the sky, wind may blow it a way.  Write your name in hearts of people you come in touch with. That is where it will stay."

spaces of the museums, private collections, galleries and archives, we could debate about our current concerns; where we could focus on a variety of aspects from risk management to object care, exhibition and installation. Further, we had the opportunity to compare good and bad museum practices worldwide.

interaction with the lovely people with whom I attended this course. The form of interesting, substantial, yet brief lectures in the combination with clear and applicable tasks proved to be an excellent concept for a learning platform. The knowledge I have gained through this program, to me as an inexperienced future museum professional is of a great value, due to its overcoming of the established and implementing up to date practice in the collections management vocation, all in order to better understand and preserve a costume and textile collection. I would recommend this course to anyone who is pursuing the career in the museum business.

the contemporary international standards of museum work. Lectures were presented in a creative manner and often would end up with a lively but respectable discussion. Collection Management is an important museum profession but unfortunately does not exist in Serbia (yet). That is why this program was so valuable to me, since I think that I could not learn all this here in Serbia if it wasn`t for this program and the instructor – Fionn Zarubica.

for Costume & Textiles Online program offered me the possibility to learn lot of important and useful things related to collections care that will help me to use existing resources more efficiently in my future work. I also had a great opportunity to share precious experiences and views with a group of very dedicated people. I sincerely recommend to all my colleagues who work with textile and costume collections to take this course.

and made me familiar with the spheres of museum work that I did not have a chance to learn about before.

of view about their profession and the people involved. Fionn's tremendous enthusiasm and knowledge in her field of work, as well as her fantastic ability to successfully communicate with us, made this course fun and exciting even in its most dry topics.

different people with different backgrounds and different mother tongues trying to do their homework in English. Also, in these months the attention level was always high. During the course, I had some occasions to discuss with the teacher several times. I appreciated her sincerity and frankness and also the ability to question herself. It’s not easy and it’s not a frequent thing.

and knowledge in this area, should definitely attend this course.

for your colleagues, you can make a better job for the museum rather than, your colleagues and you have always the same opinion. This Program is made from different point of view and in a different way than as we learned in college, so it brings a new dimension in thinking, working and making museums as good as they can be for the public, the objects and the employees. I have also made wonderful friendships and met some wonderful people. I am so grateful and delighted for this experience and I would recommend this Program for all museum lovers, whether they work in a museum or just love it. Thank you Fionn, for sharing with us your knowledge, experience, and joy and for your motivation and help, you provide for us during this training.

left the greatest impression on me. This made me feel a part of worldwide happenings and gave a hint in which direction I should look. I found CMCP beneficial for all museum professionals in our area and would like to recommend it without reservation.

an experience that was going to change not only my way of thinking about the role of museum and the role of me as an museum professional, but an experience that would change my view on life.   Thanks to this Program I have started thinking about what is wrong with our institutions that makes their work invisible for society.  Do we take the lack of government funding only as an excuse for our own inactivity and ignorance?  Are we even trying to come up with some sustainable model?  I have learned that nothing will ever change if we do not change our approach to the museum. We must make the museum a part of every community member’s life, from the children to the elderly, from the educated to the less educated, from the rich to the poor. That is our responsibility as museum professionals. We must be those who will, by changing ourselves, change the conscience and the values that our society is promoting. By developing ourselves we will develop our society.  I have adopted all these lessons thanks to Fionn. She has shown that she is a great teacher because, above all, she inspired me and motivated me.  They say that you can forget some lessons the teacher has taught you, but you cannot forget how he or she made you feel. Fionn, IT FELT GREAT.

one’s knowledge, but it also creates a strong connection and interaction among different people from different cultures. The whole course has been conducted in a very efficient, productive, dynamic and enthusiastic way. I learned something new every day! This is the education of the future.

I knew less about. Fionn Zarubica has been an excellent teacher: her on-line lessons were very thorough and clear, and the reading materials suggested were always interesting and useful. She has also been an attentive guide, e.g. underlining when I sometimes misunderstood, the differences between the diverse competences of the museum professions. Working with people from so many other countries has been an added value to the course, confronting different ways of approaching our daily assignments. At the end of this course I have to say that I learned quite much about textiles management, and I would like to integrate my knowledge by improving my skills in textile conservation too.

many ways. The Collections Management Training Program not only gave me the knowledge, but also so much positive energy and love – just what I needed.

of a museum collection, also I learned about the importance of cooperation with my colleagues to ensure the safety of both the objects the staff members involved. During this course I experienced new approaches of managing museum collections than I have had chance to see in my country, and I find it very useful and applicable in our institutions. Fionn Zarubica, through her assignments, teaches us how to be professionals in the museum field; beside that she gave us tools for personal and professional growth.

group that successfully completes this course!

contemporary methodology and acquired current information about the museum and culture sphere worldwide. Learning about universal museum standards of protection, preservation, conservation, the promotion of art and their implementation into our environment was some of the most important knowledge I gained. The CMCP is a unique opportunity for people engaged in museums and especially for young students of various orientations connected to the art and culture.

like me needed In order to gain the real insight into what my job should look like. What is more, CMCP made it much more clear to me how I should approach and deal with various situations and problems at work professionally and with integrity. Fionn Zarubica led us through the course sharing her knowledge and expertise in such a way that, while giving us concrete information on certain topics, and simple, but precise assignments, she also managed to make us learn from each other and from ourselves. She helped us question our own methods of work and learn to become more precise, effective, and responsible in whatever we do.

with. The Collections Management Certification Program was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Course is so well organized that it is possible to combine it with job or studies. If you have the opportunity, do not miss out it.

creativity and raises motivation for the professional and personal success of her students.  Fionn is devoted to the transfer of knowledge and prepared to dedicate time to each student who needs her help.  Although she is always highly professional, her sense of humor lightens up every lecture.

and galleries. What visitors do not see is the bulky invisible professional work and effort on handling objects and preparing them for exhibitions.  On the other hand, your lectures have a ready insight into and understanding of Collections Management and transferred me into another reality completely different from my every day professional reality.  I want to thank you also for the enormous amount of inspirational stories that I have heard on your life experience in philosophy, world religions and music. Thank you for a phenomenal six weeks of gatherings and inspiration.  In addition, I frankly believe that management of museums in the region as well as management of other commercial enterprises will be, and the doctrine of project management will be applied in the preparation of exhibitions within museums.

textile field. One of the greatest challenges, but also the most exciting thing for me, was to define some terms from this discipline, so it should be informative, professional and reduced to its essence, due to word limit. Museum or gallery research was also challenging and fun, as we should have apply gained knowledge on a concrete task and introduce other colleagues with our conclusions. Working with group of professionals from different countries of the world, hearing their experiences and mutually sharing information about costume and textiles, but also museum and culture practice in general, was a real treat. Constant feedback, both from professor Zarubica and other colleagues, was distinct part of this course. I would recommend this program to any current or future museum worker, conservator or student. 

subject (even if in a hypothetical way). The instructor is a lovely helpful and professional guide to all her students. Thank you!

pleasant and friendly environment of the American Corner at Dom Omladina, we discovered what needs to be changed in the professional world to make it better. I realized that we need to work together and that cooperation and communication are the key to success. Every day was an inspiration, every word of our mentor a lesson and a message. I believe that everyone who attends this course in this environment wil change their perspective and a way of looking the situation in museums in Serbia and in the world. What is the most important is that I discovered a way to be the best version of myself not only professionally but privately. Thank you Fionn.