Chartered Institute for Archaeologists 2020

YEARBOOK and DIRECTORY 2020 | 9 GENERAL INFORMATION environment sector with sole responsibility to initiate, negotiate, carry out and/or delegate, and bring to conclusion pieces of work. Members oversee large, complex projects from beginning to end, or highly skilled, specialist work. You will have various examples of complex work that you are the sole author of. Further information about professional accreditation and the competencies for each grade can be found at www. archaeologists.net/join/Individual. A full list of accredited archaeologists can be found on pages 40–102 in this yearbook. ■ HONOURARY MEMBER (HONMCIfA) Awarded in recognition of the significant service which they have rendered to archaeology. No longer awarded. NON-ACCREDITED GRADES Our non-accredited grades are not assessed for technical competence or ethical suitability: members in these grades agree to support the institute’s Code of conduct but are not accountable under it. ■ AFFILIATE This grade is appropriate for those who have an active interest in archaeology or who are not yet eligible for accreditation. ■ STUDENT This grade is open to those following a full- or part-time course in which archaeology and/or heritage management is studied in greater or equal weight than another subject, at undergraduate or post-graduate level. Those studying courses by distance learning, for HNDs or accredited Certificates may also apply. Student membership may be retained for up to 12 months after graduation. REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS CIfA’s Registered Organisation scheme is a unique quality assurance scheme for the historic environment. It is a badge of commitment to professional standards and competence. Registered Organisations have demonstrated the requisite skills to provide informed and reliable advice, execute schemes of work appropriate to the circumstances, minimising uncertainty, delay and cost, and subscribe to codes of professional conduct and practice. A list of Registered Organisations and further information are on pages 31–39 or on our website at www. archaeologists.net/find. CODE OF CONDUCT www.archaeologists.net/codes/cifa The object of the institute’s Code of conduct is to promote those standards of conduct and self-discipline required of a professional archaeologist in the interests of the public and in the pursuit of the study and care of the physical evidence of the human past. The Code indicates the general standard of conduct to which members of the institute are expected to adhere and is supported by a range of Standard and guidance documents (see page 107 for a list of Standards and guidance ). The Standards are only a few lines long, and deliberately lack detail. In part this is because it is impossible to foresee every circumstance and prescribe for each an investigative method. Nor does the institute seek to dictate to its members in detail the means by which projects are conducted, but to outline procedure by which outcomes or products can be attained and against which performance can be monitored. The historic environment expert is left free to make a considered selection of appropriate established techniques and to develop new methods. If the project has failed to meet the outcome specified in the Standard because of the way in which it was conducted, the Standard has not been met. It is a ‘sub- standard’ project. The caveat is in the expression in the Standard ‘as far as is reasonably possible’, because there may be good reason why a well-conducted project stood no chance of success. Defining ‘reasonably possible’ relies on shared professional judgement and values. This is where the Guidance section comes in: it is not binding but advises on what the professional presently considers good practice. Departures from the guidance should be undertaken with caution, and it is advisable to document the reasons. The standard defines a required outcome and the guidance advises in broad terms how the profession currently anticipates that the end product will be reached. Professional practitioners are likely to produce their own more detailed handbooks and procedures documents on how they interpret and implement CIfA guidance. CIfA Standard and guidance have many potential applications, but are principally used by: ▪ those involved in commissioning archaeological work, be they developers and their agents, planning archaeologists, or archaeologist designing their independent research, to define the quality required ▪ those undertaking the work, to assist in their own quality management and to show clients and peers that they are attaining a certain quality. The Standard and guidance apply equally to paid or unpaid archaeologists. For professional archaeologists and Registered Organisations compliance with the Code of conduct and Standard is an obligation of accreditation/ Registration: failing which the institute may judge them guilty of professional misconduct and may offer advice and support for their necessary professional development, or may reprimand, suspend or expel them. MAINTAINING STANDARDS IN PRACTICE AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS Professionally accredited archaeologists (PCIfA, ACIfA and MCIfA) and Registered Organisations have agreed to be bound by an ethical code, have demonstrated necessary technical and ethical competence, and are subject to the oversight of peers.