Professional qualifications

I would like to add some comments to those already offered by
Niccolo Caldararo and Joan Marie Reifsnyder on the important matter
of professional qualifications and how we judge them.

As has already been suggested, defining competencies is an important
prelude to the establishment of professional standards of
performance and to the design of education and training.  To define
a conservator in terms of competencies, rather than simply by "time
served" (whether in training or in workplace practice)  would be an
important matter for consideration, particularly as AIC considers
the issue of accreditation and its role in our professional future.
This is not meant to downplay the importance of a strong and
comprehensive academic education as a foundation for future
practice.  However, training and work experience are valuable to the
extent that they result in a competent and ethical professional.  If
employers are seeking competent professionals, than surely they can
be greatly aided by mechanisms for determining this (such as
performance standards attesting to skills).

The ICOM Conservation Committee's Working Group on Training in
Conservation and Restoration is an international forum where this
and other issues of professional qualifications and education can be
addressed.  As the present Coordinator, I would like to encourage
users of the DistList  to consider the opportunity this Working
Group provides for international cooperation and exchange on these
vital matters.  At the moment, the membership roster for the working
group contains conservators from virtually every part of the globe,
however only a very low percentage of members are active in the
group.  The highest level of participation seems to come from our
European members, who have contributed actively to the program over
the course of many years.  This participation has been fueled
recently by the important developments that are occurring in that
region; some of these have already been alluded to in Joan Marie
Reifsnyder's posting.  To those she has already mentioned, I would
also add the Document of Pavia, which articulates a vision for the
future of the profession in Europe (see IIC Newsletter, February
1998).  It is worth noting that of the thirteen recommendations
contained in this document, six address important aspects of
conservation education.   The document also includes a
recommendation to define the full range of competencies required by
a conservator practicing in Europe.

The FULCO (Fundamental Levels of Competence) project is the first
attempt to define these competencies, and has resulted in the
discussion document A Framework of Competence for
Conservator-Restorers in Europe, already referred to by Joan.  Kate
Foley, who with Steph Scholten was responsible for producing this
document, will be presenting the results of the FULCO project at the
ICOM-CC Triennial Meeting in Lyon (Aug 29-Sept 6). Her paper will
also be published.

The Triennial Meeting as well as the Working Group Newsletter and
other activities offers the chance to expand discussion of these
issues beyond Europe and to include other viewpoints and experience.
Qualifications, standards, and training are ultimately of universal,
rather than regional, significance.

Kathlen Dardes
Coordinator, ICOM-CC Working Group on Training
in Conservation and Restoration
The Getty Conservation Institute
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 700
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1684
310-440-6826
Fax: 310-440-7709

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:66
                Distributed: Thursday, February 11, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-12-66-003
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