Practical training 'vital' for archaeology students

September 04, 2007

A meeting of archaeologists from 12 leading Australian universities has highlighted the need for changes in the way archaeology education is funded in the higher education system.

One of the archaeologists – Professor Iain Davidson from the University of New England – pointed out that, while universities were struggling to meet the growing demand for well-trained graduates, archaeology teaching and learning was still funded mostly as a library-based research discipline.

"Practical fieldwork and laboratory training are vital for the best education in this important field," Professor Davidson said. "Australian archaeology graduates have traditionally been regarded as among the best in the world, but we risk falling behind if the basic teaching needs of archaeology in the twenty-first century are not being met."

The two-day meeting in Melbourne last month was part of a project aimed at developing benchmarks for archaeology degrees from Australian universities. The two-year project, led by UNE's Associate Professor Wendy Beck, is funded by a grant from the Australian Government's Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.

Dr Beck said that the requirements for modern construction projects, and the continuing mining boom, had created an unprecedented demand for archaeologists. "Urban sprawl and industrial development have placed an increasing emphasis on the need to manage Australia's rich cultural heritage and to consult with local communities," Dr Beck said. "The professional services of archaeologists are widely used in these management processes." (The photograph displayed here shows UNE archaeologist Dr Pam Watson working on a construction site in Armidale.)

The Melbourne meeting followed a comprehensive survey of archaeology departments in universities around Australia. "We asked what an Australian archaeology graduate should know and what sort of basic training they should be expected to receive," said UNE's Catherine Clarke, who coordinated the survey. She said there had been a strong consensus that national benchmarks were needed to ensure that professional standards in archaeology were being met, and that employers and clients were confident about the type of training graduates had received at university.

A draft set of benchmark statements for archaeology honours degrees, covering subject knowledge as well as specific and generic skills, is expected to be released by the end of the year.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at September 4, 2007 05:45 PM