In 2009 the Alexandria Centre for Maritime Archaeology & Underwater Cultural Heritage was established as a European Union project under the EU-Tempus III Programme. The project aimed to create a specialized center for postgraduate studies which provides education and training at different levels in aspects of maritime and underwater archaeology, and to develop a Postgraduate Diploma and Master programmes in Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage, designed and structured in accordance with EU standards.

The Centre

Recent underwater discoveries and maritime archaeological projects in Egypt have revealed the country’s unique potential for maritime archaeological exploration and research. In response, the Alexandria Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage has been created to introduce, for the first time, education and training in maritime and underwater archaeology into the Egyptian higher education curricula.

The Centre was funded through a grant from the Trans-European Mobility Scheme for University Studies (Tempus), as well as a number of corporations and private donors.

The establishment of the Centre is a collaborative project between six consortium members from the EU and Egypt fronted by the University of Southampton. Collectively they provide the necessary academic, technical and administrative expertise required for the achievement of the center’s objectives.

Aims

The Centre offers a Postgraduate Diploma and Master of Arts degrees in Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage, designed and structured in accordance with EU standards.

The programme aims to provide graduates from different backgrounds with a sound theoretical and methodological foundation in the investigation, interpretation, and management of the maritime and underwater archaeological resource within its wider context. Hence, participants in the programme would be provided with the basis for a professional career in this field or a sound foundation for further research.

The center occupies the ground floor of the northern building of the Faculty of Arts. It consists of two lecture rooms equipped with interactive smart boards, a specialized library, a computer laboratory equipped with twenty PCs, a conservation training laboratory in addition to a storage space where the diving, photography, and excavation equipment are kept. The center also owns a 6m and a 4m Inflatable Boats which are used for training and research. It also has a waterfront facility overlooking the historic Eastern Harbour of Alexandria where practical sessions take place.

The Honor Frost Foundation supports a number of projects through the CMAUCH as well as an institutional grant to provide support for staff, marketing, and dissemination, and to maintain and develop further CMAUCH activities.

Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Archaeology & Underwater Cultural Heritage:

The degree includes six units taught over the duration of two semesters. Four compulsory core units which cover the theory and methodology of maritime and underwater archaeology, in addition to two optional units.

Master of Arts in Maritime Archaeology & Underwater Cultural Heritage:

The degree includes eight units taught over the duration of four semesters. Four compulsory core units in addition to four optional units. Students are also required to write a 15,000 – 20,000-word dissertation which is produced as the result of independent research undertaken during the degree.