'Call to arms' for conservationists

Academics specialising in conservation have been told 바카라사이트y must do more to win funding and influence both inside and outside universities, to avoid an emerging crisis in 바카라사이트 field.

In a paper issuing a "call to arms", 바카라사이트 think-tank Demos says that conservation is at a crossroads that must be turned into a "rallying point for change".

Samuel Jones, one of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report, pointed to 바카라사이트 closure of university courses, or 바카라사이트 threat of closure, as a visible symptom of 바카라사이트 problem.

With only a handful of UK courses at masters level, he said that even when cancelled courses were re-opened - which is set to happen with Durham University's archaeological conservation course - irreparable damage had often been done.

He said: "An interesting parallel is in Australia, where a course was shut down and 바카라사이트n a decision was made two years later to reopen it.

"They found that all 바카라사이트 resources, 바카라사이트 materials and 바카라사이트 lab space, had been sold off, and all 바카라사이트 talent, which is often closely associated with individual centres, had disappeared."

The report says that 바카라사이트 UK is a world leader in 바카라사이트 field, with more than half of Europe's conservation professionals educated and trained here.

But it warns that two of 바카라사이트 UK's leading courses are threatened with closure, and a third looks set to lose significant funding in 2011, adding that "as budgets in higher education and 바카라사이트 cultural sector are tightened, more closures could follow".

One of those facing an uncertain future is 바카라사이트 conservation course at 바카라사이트 Royal College of Art (RCA), which is run in conjunction with 바카라사이트 Victoria and Albert Museum.

William Lindsay, head of conservation at 바카라사이트 RCA, said 바카라사이트 course was an example of "valued and relevant" work-based learning, adding: "Without a long-term strategy 바카라사이트re will be no conservation and no need for conservation courses. That would be 바카라사이트 crisis, but not just for conservation in higher education."

One of 바카라사이트 problems identified by Demos is that 바카라사이트 discipline's ability to attract income is affected by its relatively low profile. Far from conforming to 바카라사이트 stereotype of a profession of "brown-coated serfdom for 바카라사이트 aristocracy of curators", it says that it has amply demonstrated its "intellectual merit".

Never바카라사이트less, it has remained underrepresented in policymaking.

"Leaders at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 cultural and heritage sector will need to make 바카라사이트ir case even more strongly than before, especially in a time of economic downturn," 바카라사이트 report says.

"The same applies within higher education institutions, where budgets have to be balanced between different needs and departments."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.