A number of institutions regularly sponsor seminars, workshops and special meeting series devoted to bringing together professionals from different countries to share knowledge and experiences.

The long standing «Stage international» of the Archives de France has offered theoretical and practical instruction since 1951 to several groups of French speaking archivists from all continents. Since 1984, through the Malaysian Technical Co-operation Programme (MTCP), Malaysia has offered a two-month fully sponsored annual course covering both theoretical and practical aspects in Records Management and Conservation/Bookbinding to participants from developing countries. At the beginning of this year, with help from Switzerland, Albania held a one-month international training covering the major fields of the archival activity. At the same time, the International Records Management Trust (IRMT) and the Portail International Archivistique Francophone (PIAF) provide archivists of the world with an increasing supply of resources, including on-line courses on the basics of archives.

After a brief presentation of a number of programmes, participants will discuss issues of training at the international level. In view of increasing costs and complexity of these programmes:

• What is the future of these initiatives?
• Are they accessible widely to all in need? What is their relationship with national training?
• Are they surrogates for national training in those countries where no courses are offered?
• Should the money be invested in distance education programme?
• Is there a role for ICA? How can the portals available on the Internet help?
• Should they be modified to better serve these programmes?
  
• What is the potential for more cooperation between these programmes and the other players in the archival training field?
  
• Should international diploma courses be developed for those who do not have national records and archives study programmes?
  
• Could international post-master schools be set up with the help of existing institutions?
  
• What are the advantages/disadvantages of face-to-face and distant learning?