CIfA is delighted to announce if you missed out on our 2023 Innovation Festival you can still get access to all the recordings.

Register now so you don't miss out, a single registration gets access to all the session recordings. 

The historic environment is rich and diverse benefiting from a wide variety of specialisms. Collaborations spanning academic, community-led and developer-funded archaeological research provide fascinating insights to our collective past often with the help of new/adapted ‘innovative’ approaches.

The Innovation Festival showcases and celebrates the innovative practices and approaches being undertaken across the historic environment sector, whilst tabling for wider discussion some of the identified barriers and challenges to implementing innovation in archaeological research. This week-long virtual festival comprises of a mix of short sessions each day including presentations, workshops, opportunities for open discussion, CPD and knowledge transfer. Click here to take a look at some of the session recordings from our previous Innovation Festival.

Session Recordings

Workshop - Ethical Archives: how to be FAIR, sustainable and ethical when it comes to archives.

During this session, we'll launch CIfA's new CPD module which offers an introduction to managing archives with a FAIR, sustainable and ethical approach. The new module will be free to everyone to complete within the next year, and offers a 20+ minute CPD opportunity for anyone working in archaeological projects.

This workshop session will aim to answer the following questions, working with participants to explore the responses, solutions and tools available.

· What is an archaeological archive?
· And why do we need them?
· How do archives relate to CIfA Standards and guidance?
· What are FAIR principles?
· How should we plan for archives?
· What makes archives sustainable?
· What is an ethical approach to archives?
· Where do I go to find out more?

The workshop will look at approaches to archives from different roles and different perspectives, so the content is relevant to all those working with archaeological projects. We'll also look at the materials and resources available through existing CIfA toolkits and use the workshop as a forum to discuss plans and ideas for the future.

Enhancing Accessible Archaeology: Exploring 3D Scanning and Printing for Inclusive Heritage Preservation and Education

This session delves into the realm of innovative practices and approaches in the historic environment sector, specifically focusing on the transformative potential of 3D scanning and printing in archaeology. Highlighting the theme of inclusivity, the session explores how these technologies can facilitate access to archaeological artifacts for individuals with learning difficulties and disabilities. By harnessing the power of 3D scanning, researchers can create high-resolution digital replicas of archaeological objects, enabling tactile exploration and interactive learning experiences.

The session aims to showcase successful case studies where 3D scanning and printing have been employed to bridge the accessibility gap in heritage preservation and education. By replicating archaeological artifacts using different materials, attendees will gain insights into the process of recreating exact copies that accurately represent the original objects. Moreover, the session will foster an open discussion on the barriers and challenges faced when implementing such innovative techniques in archaeological research.

Join us in exploring how 3D scanning and printing can revolutionize the field of archaeology, making it more inclusive, engaging, and accessible for diverse audiences, while also examining the hurdles that need to be overcome for wider implementation of these innovative practices.

CIfA Annual General Meeting

See more information by clicking the link above and to register your place at the AGM.

Revising our advising - what should we say to people wanting a career in archaeology?

As we progress through our careers in archaeology, it is likely at some point we will find ourselves in a situation of providing career advice. Whether that is a casual chat while grabbing a cup of tea or in a more formal setting, how we deliver that advice can have a significant impact on someone’s career path. Do we ever consider that impact and reflect on what it is that we are actually saying? With mix of position papers and open discussion, this session seeks to explore ‘the what’ and ‘the how’ that advice is given and explore what factors can influence key elements of our advice? Background? Career route? Gender? The sector we work within? We also seek to question if we truly understand the audience we aim to assist and with that, critique if we are giving the most useful career advice in the most accessible way?

Qualifying the future workforce: your chance to find out how apprenticeships are supporting a skilled sector.

A short talk and Q&A about how CIfA Qualifications is delivering end-point assessment for a variety of apprenticeship qualifications and what this means for the heritage sector.

Celebrating early career innovative research in archaeology

This session takes the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the innovative early career research taking place across the historic environment sector. We have a suite of papers lined up focusing on the use, development, and application of various innovative techniques showcasing their potential applications/implications for current and future archaeological practice. Come along and learn more about the fantastic early career research taking place.

Navigating pathways to net zero for archaeology

As part of the UK’s pursuit of climate action, achieving a ‘net zero’ future has emerged as a rallying point for individuals and businesses. This session, Navigating pathways to net zero for archaeology delves into how archaeological organisations are currently addressing the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy. We bring together archaeologists to share insights, exchange ideas, and explore practical strategies to build a net zero, decarbonised future for the sector.

Archaeology can have a positive impact on communities and the environment and is increasingly being recognised for its contributions to sustainability more widely. Additionally, the sector also needs to address its own environmental impact by nature of working within the construction and planning sector. This session focuses on understanding the opportunities and challenges across the development-led sector, outlining ways that organisations are making an impact in the areas of climate, carbon, ESG, equity, resilience, net zero and more.

Do professional standards stifle innovation?

Join us on Thursday afternoon for a tea-break discussion on the ethics of innovation to find out!
CIfA’s Code of conduct requires members to only undertake work that they are competent to complete (Rule 1.1), to ensure that ‘experimental’ methodologies are adequate for the project in hand (Rule 3.3), and to ensure that project objectives are an adequate justification for destructive investigation techniques (Rule 2.3). At the same time, it instructs members to work towards the development and continuous improvement of the profession by challenging professional practice and devising new techniques (Rule 1.15). Do these rules support innovation, or do they discourage novel approaches? In this tea-break session, we’ll discuss these questions and more. What are the barriers to innovative practice? How are new techniques and methodologies evaluated? Would more collaborative approaches help or is competition a more effective driver for research and development?  Come along and have your say.

Thinking outside the box: Creative workplace adjustments for neurodiverse archaeologists

A pre-recorded 'in conversation' / panel discussion followed by a live discussion with the delegates. This session will explore workplace adjustments and considerations for neurodiverse archaeologists by discussing

- Support for entry-routes, entry-levels and training programme adaptations
- Ongoing support (throughout your career)
- Sustainable support platforms for neurodiverse archaeologists
- What do we want for the future (for neurodiverse archaeologists)

*STUDENT OFFER FOR NON-MEMBERS*

If you're a student but not a CIfA member we have a great offer for you! Register for the festival as a non-member for £25.00 and get free CIfA student membership until the end of the current registration period (31 March 2024). This will give you 6 months of access to lot's of resources and CPD opportunities, for example, e-Learning modules, event recordings and our catalogue of The Archaeologist magazines. In addition you will also be able to benefit from member rates when booking future events. If you're interested, register as a non-member for the event and then email Jen (jen.parkerwooding@archaeologists.net) with your details and your membership will be processed.