Master's degrees in Archival Studies in Colombia and Spain: Is a curricular dialogue possible?

Abstract

The changes brought about by technological disruption are driving transformations in how documentary information produced by entities, communities, and individuals is managed. This poses significant challenges to postgraduate training in information science in general, and specifically in the field of archival science and related areas, such as digital information management and knowledge management. Given its nature, scope, and nuances in different Ibero-American educational and social contexts, postgraduate training is committed to developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to rigorously, systematically, and creatively address theoretical and practical problems related to various disciplines, particularly those related to information and digital technologies, which include archival studies. Within this framework, the objective is to analyze the curricula corresponding to Master's programs in Archival Studies and related fields, such as: documentary information management, historical archival studies, archival studies and memory, transparency and access to information, digital continuity, digital archives and libraries, as well as Master's programs generally related to information management processes. The methodology employed is qualitative, recognizing the potential to generate understandings, interpretations, and analytical perspectives grounded in the traditions of documentary research and content analysis. The instruments designed consisted of analytical and comparative matrices to specify the percentage of credits for each identified area within the two reference frameworks. This allowed for the precise determination of the degree of alignment of these postgraduate programs with the aforementioned reference frameworks in three stages: first, the current Master's programs existing in Colombia; second, at the Latin American level; and subsequently, at the Ibero-American level, considering the areas around which training should be structured. Therefore, this study not only compared the names, approaches, objectives and/or competencies indicated for each Postgraduate Program, but also delved into the curricular structure, specifically the credits assigned to each postgraduate offering, to pre-specify the possibilities of establishing curricular dialogues, through academic cooperation between the master's degrees in the field of Archival Studies in Ibero-America.