1. Present:
Alan Knox (Aberdeen, Convenor), Neil Curtis (Aberdeen, Secretary), Richard Devaney (University of Edinburgh), Mungo Campbell (University of Glasgow), Helen Rawson (University of St Andrews), Emma Jane McAdam (University of St Andrews), Angela Edgar (Heriot-Watt University), Ann Jones (Heriot-Watt University), Peter Trowles (Glasgow School of Art), Grant McDougall (Robert Gordon University), Ewen Smith (University of Glasgow), Ian Carradice (University of St Andrews), John Faithfull (University of Glasgow), Amy Dale (University of St Andrews), Jessica Burdge (University of St Andrews)

Apologies: Jane Cameron (University of Stirling), Donna Holford-Lovell (Abertay University), John Scally (University of Edinburgh)

2. Approval of minutes of Annual General Meeting on 20th November 2007
The minutes were approved, noting that Peter Trowles was present

3. Matters arising
None

4. Convenor's report
Since the last Annual General Meeting, there has been significant activity within UMIS, some of which I can very briefly summarise as follows:

• The award of Recognition to St Andrews University for three of their collections (in addition to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons and Aberdeen already awarded) - reinforcing the role of UMIS members as custodians of a significant part of the nation's heritage.
• Success by members in securing funding from MGS for Recognised and other collections.
• The opening of MUSA at St Andrews, the D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum at Dundee and the Collections Centre at the Glasgow School of Art.
• The temporary closure of the displays at Aberdeen's Marischal Museum due to external building works.
• Edinburgh College of Art became a member of UMIS.
• Success by several of our members in achieving Accreditation.
• Publication of Metrics for our members covering 2006-07, summarising information about our collections and levels of activity. This information has already proved invaluable as a way to describe the role of our museums and in helping secure substantial funding under the SFC's SPIRIT strand.
• A highly successful UMIS conference The Contentious Museum, organised by Neil Curtis in Aberdeen, 19-21 November 2008, with strong international participation. About 60 attended and the papers of the conference will be published in Museum Management & Curatorship. We are grateful to the Principal of the University of Aberdeen, who funded the drinks reception before the conference dinner.
• Liaison with the University Museums Group has continued with the election of the UMIS Convenor to the UMG Committee.
• Nine UMIS members, through the University of Aberdeen as lead partner, were successful in receiving a grant of £240,000 towards a £318,000 project Revealing the Hidden Collections. The award came from the SFC SPIRIT strand. At present (as revealed by our metrics exercise) only 7.5% of the items in UMIS collections are discoverable via web resources. This 18-month project aims to get collection level descriptions for all the collections onto the web, together with enhanced item-level records and further images. The project will also help with partnership and capacity building, and the scoping of further work.
• The future of the SFC Museums and Galleries Grant was subject to review during the year and UMIS played an active role in the consultation process at several stages. The outcome of the review will not be available until the publication of the SFC grant letter on 2 April 2009.
• Several of our members are leading partners in the very successful Scotland & Medicine consortium, which has received funding for another major exhibition Our sporting body, from the UK Legacy Trust.

5. Treasurer's report
The Treasurer's report was read and accepted. The available balance was £4907.92, with two more subscriptions and surplus from the 2008 conference expected. It was confirmed that there was no change in the subscription rate for the coming year.

6. Elections
The Convenor (2006-09), Vice-Convenor (2006-09), Treasurer (2007-10) and Secretary (2007-10) are not due to retire until the dates indicated. The Web Editor (currently Matthew Jarron) is appointed annually and was re-appointed.

7. AOB
Ian Carradice raised the question of the collecting of recent computing equipment. No members had a collecting policy covering computing equipment from outwith their institution.

Museums Galleries Scotland
As university museums representative, Ewen Smith reported reported the election of two new Museums Galleries Scotland Board members (Jennifer Stewart -Aberdeenshire Council and Barclay Price - Arts & Business Scotland). A questionnaire would be circulated this spring as part of the membership services review. He urged members to respond as university museums are leaders in the sector in many respects and that UMIS can help to fill the leadership gap. An internal review of the role of Museums Galleries Scotland was recognising that they had not been offering a strategic leadership role. The Scottish Emigration museum project is not to be funded as a distinct project for a second year. University museums continued to have a high application and success rate for Museums Galleries Scotland grants. While initially focused on local authorities, it was anticipated that Scottish Government national priorities would have an increasing impact on institutions in receipt of public funding.

A proposal for a revised constitution would be brought to the next AGM to bring it into line with practice.

Peter Trowles noted that the First Minister had announced a desire for cultural links with Catalunya and that there might be support for long-term projects relating to it.

8. Date of next meeting
The AGM should be held in autumn 2009. Peter Trowles offered Glasgow School of Art as a venue.

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