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Conferences and workshops (ARCHON)

Vak
2014-2015

Compulsory attendance

Yes, but you can make a free choice of 5 ects per year out of 10 ects of offered workshops.

Admission requirements

Admission to the RMA-programme, and registration with ARCHON (Research School of Archaeology), see the ARCHON website.

Description

ARCHON initiates, organises and supports a programme of educational activities including conferences, lecture series, thematic workshops, multi-and interdisciplinary courses and skill courses for RMA-students, PhD-researchers and staff members of the participating institutions. Activities are organised in close collaboration with its participating institutions (University of Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, University of Groningen, Leiden University, and the State Service for Cultural Heritage).
The intent is to create a platform for inspiring academic debate on current archaeological research. By creating a stimulating inter-institutional and interdisciplinary environment, ARCHON aims to bring together its junior and senior members. Most ARCHON activities are also open to the staff of university institutes and archaeologists working outside the academic world.

ARCHON organises and coordinates about 10 ects of RMA/PhD-education per year. Annually, an RMA-student of the Graduate School of Archaeology needs to collect a total of 5 ects from the RMA/PhD-level education activities ARCHON offers.The programme for 2013-14 is posted on the ARCHON website.

ARCHON organises thematic workshops (1-3 ects), an annual ARCHON day (1 ects), skill courses (1-2 ects), short intensive courses (1-2 ects) and education at allied institutes. RMA-students can choose from this programme.
In special cases, you can also apply to the curriculum coordinator, C.G. Slappendel MPhil for permission to use an international conference as an alternative to ARCHON workshops, provided that
a) the conference focuses on your specialisation and/or thesis topic, and
b) attendance at this conference or workshop is recommended by a staff member of your research track.
The procedure for this alternative application:

  • Before applying to the curriculum coordinator (deadline: 3 weeks before the event), you need to get permission from a professor or lecturer of your own research track, who can guarantee the quality of the conference, is willing to evaluate the report, and will set a deadline for submission of the report. This staff member will confirm this in an email to the curriculum Ccoordinator.

  • You should also send an email to the curriculum coordinator, with a motivation why and how this conference is relevant for the academic development within your own field, and provide information about the conference (where, when; plus internet link).

Course objectives

  • Knowledge of and insight in approaches in current issues in archaeology, as presented in workshops or conferences;

  • Ability to formulate well-structured questions and arguments in oral discussions during the conference;

  • Ability to interact and network with (international) scholars;

  • Critical assessment of current research with respect to context, applicability and background;

  • Critical assessment of how the conference themes and specific papers relate to the student’s own research interest;

  • Ability to formulate well-structured arguments in a reflective evaluation report/conference review.

Ects distribution

1 ects is awarded for workshops and conferences of one or two days, including an evaluation report.
2 – 3 ects are awarded for workshops and conferences that require reading (1 ects = 140 pages) and/or assignments (written work).
1 ects is awarded for a presentation or paper given at a workshop. Hand in the PowerPoint presentation and text. Also see the ects-accounting webpage for more details.
ARCHON is the official organiser and accreditor of the conferences and workshop events. Ects are awarded after filing the evaluation report with the ARCHON secretariat. The reports are graded by the supervisors of the RMA specialisation.
In case of “alternative” conferences (see “Description” for the conditions), the same ects distribution applies, but the ects are awarded not by ARCHON but by the curriculum coordinator after receiving the report and its grade from the supervisor of the RMA specialisation.

Mode of instruction

  • Workshops;

  • Conferences;

  • Courses.

Assessment method

  • Assignments;

  • Evaluation reports.

Assessment deadline

Evaluation reports must be submitted within 4 weeks after attending the workshop or conference.

Contact information

For more information about the ARCHON workshops, please contact the ARCHON secretariat.

For more information about applying to attend alternative conferences that pertain to your own specialisation, contact C.G. Slappendel MPhil.