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On the initiative of and in cooperation with the Transylvanian Historic Building Conservationist Society
– and the Faculty of History and Philosophy – the Trust began a Postgraduate Course on Monument Preservation in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in October 1998,
within the framework of the Babes–Bolyai University's Lifelong Learning Centre. Training and specialising an adequate number of
monument preservation specialists with university degrees and highlighting the richness of Transylvania's architectural heritage is the
main objective of the course. At present the inventory, restoration and protection of Transylvanian historic buildings is completed
by 31 full-time specialists, only 21 of which are architects and structural engineers specialised in conservation of the built heritage.
During 1990-1998 one conservation specialist was trained at the Robert Lemaire Monument
Preservation Centre in Leuven, eighteen other studied at the
Budapest Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, and another two at the Ion Mincu
Architectural University in Bucharest.
In the 1998-2000 cycle four groups have been organized, two in Romanian and two in Hungarian for architects and structural
engineers. The curriculum of the course contains common subjects on general issues and particular classes corresponding to the
specialization of the students.
The curriculum of studies approved by the Ministry for National Education has
been performed by Trust staff-members, taking into consideration the recommendations of senior specialists from Romania and abroad,
as well as the directives of the International Training Committee ICOMOS. (Guidelines on Education and Training in the Conservation
of Monuments, Ensembles and Sites - Fifth Revised Draft, May 11, 1992.)
30 lecturers of the Romanian group come from different regions of the country, including one from Germany.
The majority of the 34 Hungarian
speaking lecturers are specialists from Hungary.
62 students with university graduation enrolled in the first term of the course,
representing 18 Transylvanian settlements. They participated in 120 lectures/semester
given by 20 lecturers, presentations richly illustrated with slides. Historic building
site-visits in Cluj-N and a six day long field trip were the subject of practical classes.
The study-tour covered historic building sites from the Maramureš-region (Romania), East-north part of Hungary and south-east part of Slovakia (19 churches - 10 Reformed, 6 Roman-Catholics, 3 orthodox - 4 fortifications; 4 castles; 1 mill; 2 town-centres).
Future programmes
One-day field trips will be organised in the next two terms to conservation sites in Transylvania. The summer study-tour will be organised to Austria and Germany - countries and cultures which have influenced the architectural development of Transylvania for many centuries.
Parallel with the present groups (for architects and structural-engineers), new groups will be organised for art historians, archaeologists and urban planners from the beginning of the next cycle (2000-2002). Conditions for registration, and the curriculum will be announced in April 2000.
The course has been sponsored by the Hungarian Ministry for Education (1998-1999); the Foundation for an Open Society, Romania (1998); the National
Board for Protection of Historic Monuments, Hungary (1998-1999); the Technical University of Budapest (1998) and the Utilitas
Monument Conservation Centre, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (1998-1999). Expenses are partly covered by tuition fees. Programme coordinator: Emese OLOSZ
Questions regarding the Postgraduate Courses can be directed to Emese OLOSZ at ttf@mail.soroscj.ro
Revised: 14 August 1999
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