Education is critical to the role Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) as a professional association. The ASA is involved in a range of activities that support its commitment to education for archivists. The ASA's five educational priorities are:
Education for archivists in Australia –
Frequently Asked Questions (information current as at January 2009) Note: Inclusion of information from or links to external sites does not imply endorsement by the ASA of the services or products by other organisations.
Q: Where can I study archives at university in Australia?
A: Courses are offered by the universities listed below. All these universities offer their courses in distance mode. For further information, visit our course accreditation page at http://www.archivists.org.au/course-accreditation Monash University (Melbourne) http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/about/streams/information-management/ Edith Cowan University (Perth) http://www.scis.ecu.edu.au/Future/Courses/index.aspx Curtin University (Perth) http://humanities.curtin.edu.au/schools/MCCA/information_studies/courses... University of South Australia (Adelaide) http://www.unisa.edu.au/bim/
Q: Which course/s does the ASA recommend?
A: The ASA does not recommend any particular course. If you are interested in taking up archives as a career, you are advised to contact the universities via their websites (above) to help determine which course would suit you best.
Q: Can I study archives without going to university?
A: You can undertake study in recordkeeping through competency-based programs offered by TAFE and some private providers in the vocational educational system. There is a suite of nationally-recognised qualifications in recordkeeping within the Business Services Training Package. For further information, visit the Information and Business Skills Australia website at http://www.ibsa.org.au/content/careers/record_keeper
Q: Can I get an overview of training in both archives and recordkeeping?
A: You can find relevant information via the State Records NSW website at http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/recordkeeping/rib_1_education_475.asp
Q: Does the ASA offer any short courses in archives?
A: The ASA does not offer short courses but it does offer occasional workshops and seminars. The best way to find out when and where these are held is to subscribe to the aus-archivists listserv at http://lists.archivists.org.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aus-archivists
Q: Does the ASA have programs for new archives professionals?
A: The ASA has a mentor scheme where experienced professionals provide support to newer members of the profession. See http://www.archivists.org.au/asa-mentor-scheme
Q: What qualifications do I need to become a professional member of the ASA?
A: See http://www.archivists.org.au/asa-accredited-records-and-archives-courses
Q: How do I apply to become a professional member of the ASA?
A: See http://www.archivists.org.au/asa-membership-information