South African Institute for Heritage Science and Conservation

Entrance to Institute via Campus Drive

The South African Institute for Heritage Science and Conservation is a higher learning institution, founded in 1994. The Institute's faculty buildings and support facilities are situated on a 15-hectare campus in the village of Twee Riviere, in the Langkloof valley, adjacent to the Southern Cape Region of South Africa.^[1] This is also the seat of its resident, full-time, postgraduate academic programme, which admits a maximum of twelve students annually for postgraduate studies in the specialist domain of conservation science.^[2]

Accreditation

In mid-2015, the Institute brought its maiden accreditation bid before South Africa's Council on Higher Education,^[3] shortly afterwards declaring the likely prospects of such a programme offering, provisionally scheduled for launch in 2017.^[4] The accreditation of the postgraduate diploma programme was formally granted in December 2016.^[5] During 2017, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) formally listed this Level 8 academic programme on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). ^[6]

Postgraduate diploma programme

The Institute conducts an academic training programme in the form of a nominally one-year, resident, postgraduate diploma programme, "Technical Studies in Conservation".^[7] The postgraduate diploma programme is open to undergraduate candidates, subject to entry prerequisites.^[8] The postgraduate diploma comprises twelve modules, amounting to a total of 130 credits, and is the academic equivalent^[9] of a "graduate diploma"^[10] - the matching academic level descriptor which is applied in certain other countries (e.g. Australia). The level descriptor matches the academic significance which it holds in the UK, per example. The programme is structured as a trimester programme, conducted from January/February to October/November of each year. Conservation specialisms within the programme include the conservation of historic metals, stone and mortar, artwork on paper, and ceramics.

Masters programme

A conservation masters programme, relying in part on course work and partly on a research project, is currently under development at this institution. The Institute has indicated its intention to seek accreditation for such a M.Sc Technical Conservation programme during 2020 or 2021.^[3]

Elisabeth FitzHugh Conservation Library

The Institute is home to a comprehensive conservation textbook and reference library, which supports the study programme. The formerly privately held Elisabeth FitzHugh conservation volume collection forms the core of the library collection held at the Institute, also lending its name to the research collection overall.

Campus cafeteria

The campus cafeteria, The Belfry Kitchen,^[11] stands in service of the campus hospitality arm, which provisions faculty, staff and students with residence, meals, internet connectivity, laundry and postal services.

Campus gardens

Campus arboretum - autumn 2016

Campus arboretum - autumn 2016

The campus gardens comprise several hectares of landscape specimen trees. Plantings have been arranged as an arboreal tree collection with predominant emphasis on autumn colouring specimens.^[12] The core collection varies from 14 – 22 years in age, and planting has resumed in recent years to expand the collection's physical extent and range.

References