Projects

All IfA projects either deliver research into UK or European professional practice, or are directed towards the promotion of workplace learning and professional development. These projects, their outputs and the ideas they generate, are intended to provide benefits to members and to further the development of the archaeological profession. The Institute will continue to seek funding for this kind of research, to help us improve working practices and training across the sector. The aim of all IfA activities and projects will continue to be to contribute to one or more of the objectives of our Strategic Plan.

The Institute does not rely on projects for funds to deliver its regular services to members, but project surpluses do enable the Institute to invest in initiatives that serve members interests when required. In recent years these have included

recession planning (in partnership with ALGAO, FAME and others)
assistance and advice to European colleagues
the development of models for Workplace Training
the campaign to promote CPD among professional archaeologists

All IfA projects are run in accordance with professional standards for project management (based on Prince 2 and English Heritage’s MoRPHE (pdf file) (Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment) guidelines. Detailed financial reporting on projects is delivered regularly to Council, and can be obtained on request to the Executive committee.

In our Strategic Plan for 2020 (pdf file), we commit to continual review of the range of projects we are involved with through consultation with Council, members, other archaeologists and stakeholders.

Download a list of all IfA projects undertaken since 2000 (pdf file).

Recent Projects

Project: National Vocational Qualification in Archaeological Practice

Dates: 2008-ongoing

Funded by: IfA/generates own funds

Value: c. 20K to date

NVQ In 2009, the IfA have achieved their goal of establishing an Assessment Centre to offer archaeologists in the UK the NVQ in Archaeological Practice. Although the IfA is subsidising the set up of the centre, within 5 years the Centre will be self funded, and able to rely on a network of trained assessors based in archaeological practices throughout the UK. The Qualification in Archaeological Practice is a vocational qualification developed by the Archaeology Training Forum and approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. It is awarded by Education Development International (EDI) which is also the awarding body for Cultural Heritage NVQs in the museums sector. For more information, go to our NVQ page

Project: Maritime Archives

Dates: 2008 - ongoing

Funded by: HS, EH, of Museum Archaeologists and Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

Value: c. 35K to date

This project aims to map maritime collection areas, review current maritime archives and review the need for future archive creation and management. The project was undertaken in three phases

Element One - Mapping Maritime Collection Areas
Element Two - Review of Maritime Archaeological Archives and Access
Element Three - Analysing Present and Assessing Future Archive Creation

For more information and to download the reports, please see the project’s website

Project: Archaeology and Construction Engineering Skills

Dates: 2007-ongoing

Funded by: European Commission

Value: c. 200K to date

ACES The project has partners from four European countries, the UK, Turkey, Poland and Norway. It will produce learning materials for engineers and archaeologists to use, with the aim of sharing knowledge between the professions. The project will produce best practice guidance to help engineers and archaeologists work together. The project will design e-learning modules, a website, curricula, teaching materials and E-learning packages for students and professionals.

Project: Standards and guidance for Archaeological Resource Centres

Dates: 2007-2008 - Complete

Funded by: English Heritage

Value: c. 20K

Resource centres This project produced a suite of guidelines for planning and running a successful archaeological resource centre within the UK. A supporting policy document was produced separately by English Heritage sets out in detail the urgent need for archaeological resource centres.

Project: Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe

Dates: 2006-2008

Funded by: EU (Leonardo da Vinci II fund) with contributions by HS and EH

Value: c. 200K to date

DISCO archaeologists Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe is an international project, examining archaeological employment and barriers to international mobility within archaeology across twelve countries of the European Union. All national reports on archaeological employment in each of the twelve countries, in English and national languages, plus the international reports comparing data and on qualifications and entry requirements are available on the reports page at http://www.discovering-archaeologists.eu/.

Project: HLF workplace Learning Bursaries

Dates: 2006 - ongoing

Funded by: HLF

Value: c. 700K to date

HLF Since 2006, the HLF has funded IfA to run between 8 and 10 Heritage Lottery funded bursaries every year, designed to address identified archaeological skills gaps. The scheme is intended to provide a model to be taken up by organisations within the sector.

The project is managed by the IfA, but the bulk of IfA income is redistributed in the form of salaries to bursary holders. For more details visit our HLF Bursaries page.

Project: EH Professional Placements in Conservation 2009 (EPPIC)

Dates: 2003 - ongoing

Funded by: English Heritage

Value: c. 160K to date

EPPIC placements are an English Heritage and IfA initiative. EPPIC placements are designed to provide work-based learning opportunities in specialisms related to the historic environment. Placements are provided and supervised by English Heritage and administered by the IfA. The placements are designed for those with some experience of historic environment practice, but who have not yet had the opportunity to develop more specialist skills and competencies. For more information visit our EPPIC page.

Project: National Occupational Standards for Archaeological Practice

Dates: 2002-2005

NOS On behalf of the Archaeology Training Forum, the IfA worked with Cultural Heritage National Training Organisation (CHNTO) to map a career structure for archaeology in the form of National Occupational Standards for Archaeological Practice. These are agreed statements of competence. They are the building blocks of S/NVQs but can be used in a number of other ways as well - for example, to write job desriptions or to identify skills needs and plan training. View NOS page.