Vietnam Underwater Archaeology Training

In 2001 the UNESCO General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. However, maritime archaeology is still a relatively new discipline in Asia and the Pacific region. In the period between 2009 and 2012 several maritime archaeology courses were given in Chanthaburi, Thailand. During the intensive training course of 6 weeks, students were trained on the basics of underwater archaeology and cultural heritage management through lectures and fieldwork. Other similar courses were also organised in the Caribbean region.

The Vietnam Underwater Archaeology Training has a different background. This project aims at establishing an institute for Underwater Archaeology in Vietnam. As part of this project this field school is organised to build capacity within the country. Between the 15th of June and the 12th of July 2015 the UNESCO / SEAMEO SPAFA Vietnam Underwater Archaeology Training course has taken place at the Hoi An Ancient Town World Heritage Site around the Cham Island, Quang Nam province in Vietnam.

The project had comprised two main components – a week PADI SCUBA Diving certification program and a 3-week advanced fieldwork practical program. This international course consisted of lectures, hands-on exercises and fieldwork relating to underwater archaeology. The focus of the lectures has been on underwater archaeology, underwater surveying, guidelines and best practices regarding research into and the management of underwater cultural heritage, as well as the UNESCO convention on the protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. The lectures were based on the Training manual for the UNESCO foundation course on the protection and management of underwater cultural heritage in Asia and the Pacific.

In total 34 persons have been involved in the training: 12 trainers and staff, 20 students and 4 more experienced team leaders. The trainees and trainers were from a number of countries in the region including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, USA, Australia, Hungary, Philippines, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Japan and the Netherlands.

The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) has given financial support and brought in their knowledge to this project to build a strong foundation for knowledge, research, policy, cooperation and education regarding underwater and maritime cultural heritage research and protection.
The RCE is not only responsible for UCH management in its own waters, but also strongly involved in that of VOC, WIC and admiralty shipwrecks all over the world. The Maritime programme’s focus is therefore on cooperation, sharing of knowledge and capacity building in underwater cultural heritage with these countries in order to improve the overall global management and research in underwater and maritime archaeology and cultural heritage management.

Objectives
The Foundation Courses aim to bring regional trainees of different academic backgrounds and who are experts in their own countries, to a common level of understanding on the multi‐disciplinary nature of maritime archaeology.
Through a minimum of a four-week intensive training program, trainees are trained on the basics of underwater archaeology and cultural heritage management through lectures and fieldwork.
Topics include the 2001 Convention and its Annex, introduction to underwater archaeology, site significance, in-situ preservation, museology, Asian ship technology and ceramics, among others.

Results
Capacity building and training of 20 (future) underwater Archaeologists in the South East Asian region on different levels.
Sustainable relations between the trainees and trainers
Establish and build partnerships between organisation