The Secretariat of State for Culture (Portuguese acronym SEC), under the competency of the Ministry of Education (Portuguese acronym ME) and Griffith University, Australia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Cultural Cooperation.
Timor-Leste has a vast cultural diversity that, well managed, contributes for the construction of national identity and thus develops a modern country, socially cohesive and more democratic. Griffith University is an experienced Australian institution, with resources and expert staff, and that is willing to support the SEC/ME, in the establishment of a School of Arts based on indigenous cultures.
In this MoU, both parties agree in optimizing and creating the bases for cooperation with the purpose of establishing the School of Arts, develop a set of partnership actions between the two institutions and, whenever possible, Griffith University will help the SEC/ME in the implementation of the National Culture Policy and the Strategic Plan, in what concerns the creation of the School of Arts.
During the year in which this agreement is valid, the SEC commits to support the necessary budget for the establishment phase, is responsible for carrying-out workshops, and other necessary events, as well as to give assistance in their logistics, guarantee a physical space, by acquiring or building it, for the accommodation of the institution’s commission, support its staff in all matters related with the issue, including the accreditation process; create partnerships with other Government departments and national institutions and gather relevant information and cultural materials for the project.
In turn, Griffith University will support: the strategic plan; in the development of the respective educational curriculum, with financing from AusAid on a permanent basis; in the educational methods and support strategies; in the activities to develop professional and training capacity for the institution’s staff and for associated organizations in Timor-Leste and Australia; the development of educational and material contents according to the needs proposed by the School and its associated organizations; the production of educational, teaching and training products and also allows access and use of the immaterial patrimonial assets collected during the ongoing research project.
The MoU in Cultural Cooperation was signed in April this year, it will be in force for one year but may be renewed if both parts agree to it.