Exploration Of Archival Professional Certification In China

The research of Archival profession qualifications certification system originatedfrom discussions on library certification system in the world of librarian science. AsArchival profession and library profession have something in common, the world ofarchival science has started theoretical explores on questions of determination ofArchival profession qualification body, establishment of certification system frameworkas well as the selection of certification methods and so on since2004. Meanwhile, theArchival profession qualifications certification system has been practically implementedin Shanghai and many other cities. However, there still exits misunderstandings andimplementation barriers over Archival profession qualifications certification system innowadays.This paper provides a summarization, a systematic induction and description ontheoretical literatures of Archival profession qualifications certification system, based onwhich the author believes that the fundamental cause of the difficulties in implementingArchival profession qualifications certification system is a conception confusion betweenthe professional qualification and the practicing qualification leading to a wrong selectionof an certification body. Starting from the fundamental cause, the author also analyzesthree possible bodies conducting Archival profession qualifications certification andproposes a way of establishing Archival profession qualifications certification system.Chapter1explores the necessity of establishing Archival profession qualificationscertification system, indicating that establishing Archival profession qualificationscertification system is an effective way of improving Archival professionalization and ameans of consolidating the position of archival profession in Information Age, and alsoadopts to the international trend and meets the need of resolving the existing problemswith archival profession.Chapter2analyzes the main obstacles in establishing Chinese Archival professionqualifications certification system. By focusing on a comparative analysis of threeinstitutes which may play the role of archival profession qualifications certificationbodies－the archival administrative departments, the Society of Archives and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People’s Republic of China(MOHRSS), the author points out that the Ministry of Human Resources and SocialSecurity of the People’s Republic of China (MOHRSS) is currently the only institutewhich can conduct Archival profession qualifications certification.Chapter3points that the way of establishing archival profession qualificationscertification system depends on an implementation in accordance with the existing lawsand regulations, and a rapid cultivation of mature certification body to which the Societyof Archives can give a great push. This paper also indicates that it would be a longprocess to establish the authority of a Chinese Archival profession qualificationscertification system due to Chinese national conditions.