An online seminar organized in collaborations of “Urban Archaeology and Management of Cultural Heritage Master's Program” launched within the body of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Arts and Sciences Faculty, Department of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and, “Conservation And Restoration Master’s Program” launched within the body of EMU Architecture Faculty took place on Monday, 24 May 2021 at 17:00 via Microsoft Teams. The event was moderated by EMU Faculty of Architecture, Head of the Department Architecture Prof. Dr. Resmiye Alpar Atun. Prof. Dr. Aykut Karaman who prepared the site management plan of the Aphrodisias Archaeological Site located in Turkey's Aydın Province, Karacasu District, made a presentation titled “Cultural Heritage Management Aphrodisias Site Management Example”.
Through the application file including the site management plan prepared for Aphrodisias with the leadership of Prof. Dr. Karaman, it has decided that the Aphrodisias Archaeological Site, which was a candidate for Turkey, to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List at the UNESCO 41st World Heritage Committee Meeting held in Krakow, Poland. During the presentation, Prof. Dr. Karaman shared his one-to-one experience with the participants the importance and necessity of the field management plan and the way of process stages work, sheding light on the studies of the scientist candidates.
A statement made regarding the subject included: “Eastern Mediterranean University Arts and Sciences Faculty, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Department’s latest program titled “Urban Archaeology and Management of Cultural Heritage Master's Program” was launched on 12 October 2020 upon the approvals of Republic of Turkey Higher Education Council and, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Higher Education Planning, Auditing, Accreditation and Coordination Council. Urban Archaeology and Management of Cultural Heritage Master's Program is only program offering this education in both Turkey and TRNC and, commenced education within the collaboration of EMU Architecture Faculty, Department of Architecture’s “Conservation And Restoration Master’s Program””.
Both of the new master’s programs, which started education simultaneously, aim to determine the formation and change processes of cities with archaeological excavation methods, as well as to ensure that the resulting data is studied in order to contribute to the benefit of the city and to bring the current functioning of the city to that settlement without negatively changing its nature. These two graduate programs, which has the aim of researching and preserving the archaeological cultural assets unearthed in the settlements and bringing them to the identity of the settlement area, aim to bring up experts and prospective scientists who will work in the field of conservation and restoration in order to research the cultural assets that are considered as the heritage of humanity and pass them on to future generations. Therefore, the relevant programs are designed by archaeologists, architects, urban planning, architectural and urban conservation, and restoration specialists. They both cover a process in which the parties that have a say for the future of residential areas can work together.
The seminar was held within the scope of "KORS 528 Cultural Heritage Site Management and Sustainability" course, offered by Architecture Department Chair Prof. Dr. Resmiye Alpar Atun as a compulsory course for the Urban Archeology and Cultural Heritage Management Master's Program and elective course for the Conservation and Restoration Master's Program students.
