Dear Sir / Madam,
ICCROM is pleased to inform that the 16th International Course on Stone Conservation -
SC09 will be held in Venice from 16 April - 3 July 2009. The course announcement is
included below.
The primary goal of the course is to improve the practice of stone conservation internationally
by providing participants with a holistic understanding of the decay and deterioration of stone,
disseminating effective conservation methodologies, and ensuring a practical understanding
of appropriate repair methods and long-term management strategies.
We are interested in inviting applications from archaeologists, architects, conservator-
restorers, conservation scientists, engineers and other professionals involved in stone
conservation, preferably with at least five years of practical working experience in the field.
Thank you also for disseminating widely this information to the relevant networks.
Applications should reach ICCROM by the 14 September 2008 to ensure inclusion in our
selection process.
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16th International Course on Stone Conservation - SC09
Dates: 16 April - 3 July 2009
Place: Università IUAV di Venezia (IUAV), Venice, Italy
Partners
ICCROM (www.iccrom.org)
UNESCO-BRESCE (www.unesco.org/venice)
Università IUAV di Venezia (www.iuav.it)
Getty Conservation Institute (www.getty.edu/conservation/)
Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e Paesaggistici di Venezia e Laguna - Italian Ministry
for Culture (www.soprintendenza.venezia.beniculturali.it)
Soprintendenza Speciale per Patrimonio storico, artistico, etnoantropologico e per il Polo
Museale della città di Venezia e dei comuni della gronda lagunare - Italian Ministry for
Culture (www.artive.arti.beniculturali.it)
Background
In many regions of the world stone was historically the predominant material used for building
and artistic purposes. Accordingly, the conservation and maintenance of architectural and
decorative stone is a core activity in such regions. Factors such as climate change, pollution,
use demands, lack of maintenance, and inappropriate past treatments present challenges for
the conservation of stone buildings, structures and objects. In addition to these factors, the
decline in traditional building techniques, craft practices and repair methods is also
threatening our ability to sustain stone structures and objects into the future. These
conservation issues require a multidisciplinary approach that involves professionals,
craftspeople, policy makers and owners.
The International Course on Stone Conservation was created in 1976 by ICCROM,
UNESCO, and the Soprintendenza per i Beni Artistici e Storici di Venezia to address these
issues. Over 15 courses were successfully conducted between 1976 and 2003. A period of
review and evaluation has recently been carried out to ensure the course continue to meet
the needs of conservation professionals in the field. The course is now being relaunched to
reflect recent advances in practice, science, and technology, including the integration of
practical methodologies for stone conservation on sites, buildings and structures.
Course objectives and programme
The course adopts a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach and is designed for
professionals involved in the conservation of historic stone structures and artifacts. The
primary goal of the course is to improve the practice of stone conservation internationally by
providing participants with a holistic understanding of the decay and deterioration of stone,
disseminating effective conservation methodologies, and ensuring a practical understanding
of appropriate repair methods and long-term management strategies. Through lectures,
discussions, laboratory sessions, demonstrations, site visits and field exercises, participants
will discuss and engage in current state of the art methodologies as they pertain to all phases
of stone conservation. Group fieldwork exercises at a worksite will provide participants with
the opportunity to address actual work scenarios where multidisciplinary solutions and
collaboration are required. Throughout the course, participants will be encouraged to draw
upon their collective expertise from various specializations to help them arrive at more
effective conservation solutions.
The course will be divided into six main units over eleven weeks. These units will include
topics such as:
Conservation ethics and principles
Conservation approaches and management systems
Material sciences for analysis, identification and conservation
Understanding decay mechanisms, diagnosis of problems and their causes
Diagnostic techniques
Repair, conservation and preventative treatments and materials
Managing stone conservation projects, including working with multidisciplinary teams
The course may include a preparatory phase prior to arrival in Venice. This preparatory
phase will include assigned readings to provide participants with a common knowledge base
and familiarity with key literature that will be used throughout the course. The preparatory
phase will be conducted in participants´ home countries.
During the course, participants will be expected to play an active role through contributing to
discussions, exercises, and presentations reflecting their own professional experience.
Participants
The course is designed for a maximum of 20 participants. The course is open to
archaeologists, architects, conservator-restorers, conservation scientists, engineers and
other professionals involved in stone conservation, preferably with at least five years of
practical working experience in the field.
Preference will be given to heritage conservation professionals in the public sector, teachers
involved in the practical training of conservation professionals, and those in a position to
disseminate and leverage the knowledge gained during the course to a wider audience. The
participants will be selected from international conservation professionals as well as Italian
university graduates and Superintendence officers working in the field of heritage
conservation, and with the above-mentioned profile.
Teaching team
Teaching staff will include an international group of recognized heritage conservation
professionals who will represent a diverse array of perspectives based on their specialized
expertise and their regional contexts.
Language
The course will be conducted in English. Candidates must have a thorough technical
knowledge and command of English. A certificate of language proficiency is required.
Certificate
A certificate of attendance will be awarded to participants who satisfactorily complete the
course and have attended at least 90% of all course activities.
Course fee: 1,300 EUR (Euro)
Travel, accommodation and living expenses
Participants will be responsible for their round trip travel costs to and from Venice. In order to
cover accommodation and living expenses in Venice during the course, participants should
plan for a minimum allowance of 3,850 EUR for the entire period.
Candidates are strongly encouraged to seek financial support from sources such as
governmental institutions, employers and funding agencies. The course organizers may be
able to offer a limited number of scholarships to selected candidates who have been unable
to secure funding.
Application
Please fill out the ICCROM application form (obtainable from ICCROM web site) and send it
together with a full professional Curriculum Vita (in English) to the contact address below.
Email applications are welcome. In the event that it is not possible to provide a scanned
version of the necessary photographs and signatures, it will also be necessary to send a
paper copy.
Stone Course 09
ICCROM
13, Via di S. Michele
I-00153 Rome, ITALY
Tel: 39 06 585 531
Fax: 39 06 5855 3349
E-mail: stonecourse09@iccrom.org
Application deadline
Applications must be received by ICCROM by 14 September 2008 to ensure inclusion in the
selection process.
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