First batch of heritage conservation students graduate in Sharjah

A total of hundred students, both employees at various heritage institutions and government departments and individuals with a passion for heritage assets, graduated today after they passed a heritage conservation programme approved by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, SIH.

The new graduates will contribute towards heritage conservation in the UAE.

The programme awards professional diplomas in six disciplines - cultural institution management, field collection of cultural heritage, cultural heritage management, museum management, architectural heritage and restoration of manuscripts and heritage documents.

The convocation was attended by H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and a number of senior officials. The Sharjah Ruler congratulated the graduates on their significant accomplishments that would inspire others to contribute to heritage conservation efforts. He also said that they are a source of national pride.

The diplomas cover both tangible and intangible heritage assets and are the first of their kind in the GCC and the wider Arab region, Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, said at the graduation ceremony.

"The Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) aspires to be an institution specialising in the national, regional and international levels, providing the cultural, educational and tourism sectors with the necessary knowledge and skills for effective management and conservation of cultural heritage. These professional diplomas aim to provide the academic educational domain with theoretical and applied scientific knowledge, and the required set of cognitive skills, in order to produce graduates who are able to understand the divisions of tangible and intangible heritage and direct its projects," he said.

"This batch of graduates is a quality addition to heritage and heritage professionals. The knowledge and skills obtained from the programme will be the basis for cultural heritage professionals. They will help transform personal interpretations into more systematic, well-organised and professional approaches. Some of the graduates will specialise in architectural heritage, and others will be in field collections or in folklore, oral tradition and so on," A Musallam added.

He also underlined that H.H. Sheikh Sultan was behind the establishment of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage.

"We would not have achieved these milestones without the directives and relentless support of His Highness. It is this generous support that makes the dream of professional diplomas come true within a short span of time. Heritage is a main component of national identity and a beacon for a bright future. This step shows our commitment to conserve, understand and introduce our heritage in an academic manner," he said.