Please note that the Fast Track Accreditation scheme is now closed. The material on this page is for information only.

Notes for Applicants

1.  Procedure

1. Applicants will have at least 10 years conservation experience. The applicant can be deemed to have satisfied the 10 year rule if s/he has been involved directly with conservation either as a full time student of conservation or as a practising conservator for a period of at least ten years.

   The definition of a Conservator-Restorer follows:
   "Conservator-Restorer: for the purposes of this document Conservator-Restorer is used for any person whose primary occupation is the conservation of cultural property, and who has the training, knowledge, ability and experience to carry out conservation activities. The term may also include some appropriately qualified and experienced conservation scientists, collection managers, educators and conservation technicians." (UKIC Member's Handbook, p54).

2. Applicants must be voting members of UKIC.

3. The application will be made using the standard forms, Application Form A, the List of Specialisms, the Self Assessment Questionnaire, and two or more copies of Application Form B (the Sponsor's Application Form), according to the number of Sponsors. The self-assessment will be agreed and signed by a minimum of two sponsors. The applicant is responsible for preparing the application.

4. UKIC will reserve the right to ask for additional sponsors.

5. Applications will be considered in confidence by an Accreditation Committee appointed by Council, incorporating section nominees and other expertise. The recommendations from the Committee for approval of applications will be passed to Council for ratification. The names of the accredited conservators and their sponsors will be published by UKIC. Accredited conservators will be so identified in the UKIC membership list.

6. The Committee will be assisted in its work by two 'Case Officers' who will, between them, examine each application. The Case Officer will be empowered to investigate and refer applications back to the applicant, for instance if the application is incomplete. A report will be made to the Accreditation Committee. It will be the duty of the Case Officers to ensure that a consistent minimum standard of professionalism has been demonstrated by each candidate recommended for accreditation. In the event of a borderline decision or a recommendation for rejection, the second Case Officer will prepare a report on the candidate and both reports will be presented to the Committee for consideration. The Case Officers will be funded by the application fee.

7. The Committee will consider a conservator only once in the Fast Track process. The unsuccessful applicant will be advised of the grounds of the decision and may apply by the Standard Route in due course. Half the application fee will be credited against the fee for subsequent application by the Standard Route.

8. All those accredited will be subject to reassessment of their Continual Professional Development record at intervals, perhaps at a rate of 10% per annum. Those approved by the Fast Track will be re-examined in a process starting after 5 years, integrated with the needs of those accredited by the Standard Route.

9. After the first round, the Committee will identify disciplines inadequately represented in the accreditation process and, if appropriate, will encourage individuals who may be eligible to apply.

10. Accreditation lapses with the resignation of the conservator from UKIC.

11. Cheques should be made payable to 'UKIC ACCREDITATION'. The fee for round one applicants, submitting their application by 29 January is £200.00 and £225.00 (both inclusive of VAT) for applicants submitting their application by 31 July. Fees are to be sent with the completed forms to UKIC Accreditation, 109 The Chandlery, 50 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7QY. The application fee will cover UKIC's costs only.

12. ALL the necessary completed documentation, namely the Fee, the Sponsor's Forms, the List of Specialisms and the Self-Assessment Questionnaire must be returned in the envelope provided.

13. In the case of a complaint about the professional activity of an accredited conservator, the established UKIC disciplinary procedures will be followed; Article 8.1 & 8.2, Regulation 1.2.2 & 1.3.2.

Timetable
There will be only two rounds for Fast Track applications, for assessment during 1999.

Round I
Oct 98 - onwards	Applicants register their intention to apply, and receive application form
January 29th 1999	Deadline for submission of application and fee
May 1999	Accreditation committee convenes
June 1999	Council approves and announces awards
Round II
April 99 - onwards	Applicants register their intention to apply, and receive application form
July 31st 1999	Deadline for submission of application and fee
Nov 1999	Accreditation committee convenes
Dec 1999	Council approves and announces awards

2.  The List of Specialisms

3.  The Self-Assessment Questionnaire

The Self-Assessment questionnaire consists of an interlinked series of Standards (descriptions of best practice), grouped under seven headings:

1. Technical competence in carrying out practical treatment work.

2. Skill, knowledge, approach and assessment applied in the examination and conservation of both collections and individual items.

3. Preventive conservation skills and knowledge.

4. Management skills relating to the workshop or host organisation, programming of work and relations with others.

5. Contribution to the profession as a whole and attitude towards conservation.

6. Responsibilities towards wider society.

7. Communications and Training.

Filling in the Questionnaire
It is the applicant's responsibility to make an honest and accurate assessment of his/her own standard of work against this list. Sponsors have the option of asking for evidence in the form of portfolios, or specimen conservation reports to facilitate their assessment and applicants must be willing and able to provide evidence where required.

The applicant should read the form carefully before deciding which boxes to tick. A box should only be ticked where the applicant can confidently assert that s/he applies that particular standard regularly in the course of his/her work.

There is no correlation between the number of boxes ticked and achievement of accreditation status. The applicant should then sign the declaration on the form.

ONLY TICK THOSE BOXES IN AREAS IN WHICH YOU ARE CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE TO YOUR SPONSORS.

The form should then be passed to each sponsor in turn. Sponsors should consider the form carefully and make their mark in the appropriate sponsors' column. They should restrict themselves to the comments 'yes', 'no', 'don't know'.

Some practising Conservators may feel that their work is best represented by the 'hands on' conservation section (Sections 1 -3). Those who work as conservation managers, trainers or administrators may find that the sections on preventive conservation or project planning (Sections 4-6) best represent their current work. The Accreditation Committee for UKIC's 'Fast Track' will take into account both the applicant's accreditation specialism/s and his/her current employment when reviewing this questionnaire.

4.  Sponsors

1. Sponsors must be Conservators of established expertise, or others who are eminent in their chosen field.

2. A minimum of two sponsors must be practising Conservators; any others need not be practising Conservators.

3. Sponsors need not be members of UKIC.

4. Sponsors cannot sponsor each other.

5. Sponsors must not have a direct contractual or financial relationship with the applicant.

6. Sponsors must place their initials at the top of the column that they are using for their replies.

7. Each sponsor must complete every box to which the applicant has answered "YES."

Notes for Sponsors

1. Sponsors should use the ECCO definition of a Conservator-Restorer (1), and the Code of Ethics and Rules of Practice of UKIC (2) as the basis for their assessment of competence.

2. Sponsors must be familiar with the applicant's work, and are encouraged to visit the applicant's place of work during the sponsorship process. Sponsors should note that the application fee does not include costs incurred in this process.

3. Sponsors are expected to enter into dialogue with the applicant.

4. Some sponsors may find that they are sponsoring several candidates. Such sponsors may choose to reduce time spent form filling by completing Sections 1-9 of the Sponsor's form for the first application only and by submitting a photocopy of these Sections with each subsequent application. Sections 10-12 must be completed separately for each individual case.

5. The applicant will make a choice of the areas of work in which to be accredited from the Standards of a Competent Conservator for UKIC Accreditation. The sponsor will examine the candidate in these areas, answering 'Yes', 'No', or 'Don't Know' to each question.
   

   Yes:	the applicant is competent
   No:	the applicant has not been found to be competent at the time of this application
   Dont Know:	the sponsor is not familiar with this aspect of the applicant's work

6. Sponsors must mark all boxes indicated by the applicant.

7. Sponsors must initial the top of each column in which they are entering their answers.

8. If a sponsor feels that the applicant has omitted an area in which s/he is competent, the sponsor is expected to discuss this with the applicant, and encourage the applicant to add that area to his/her Self-Assessment.

9. Sponsors have the option of asking for evidence to facilitate their assessment, in the form of portfolios, or specimen conservation reports.

10. A sponsor may not be a client of the applicant.

1. Conservator-Restorer: for the purposes of this document Conservator-Restorer is used for any person whose primary occupation is the conservation of cultural property, and who has the training, knowledge, ability and experience to carry out conservation activities. The term may also include some appropriately qualified and experienced conservation scientists, collection managers, educators and conservation technicians. ECCO Professional Guidelines (I): The Profession 1993    [back]

2. See the UKIC Members Handbook 1996   [back]

Applicant/Sponsor Helplines