Modern-day Monuments Woman

Cardiff Conservator elected as Secretary General to international body

Reader in Conservation Jane Henderson has been elected to the post of Secretary-General of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, known commonly as the IIC.

Elected at the international organisation’s Annual General Meeting in London on 28 January, she joins 18 Council members who give their services voluntarily.

Throughout her career in the heritage sector and academia, Jane has served on various national and international bodies, including for the Institute for Conservation (ICON) and as Trustee for museums and galleries and heritage bodies in and beyond Wales. She has taught on undergraduate and postgraduate Conservation programmes at Cardiff since 1984.

She said: “It is an honour and a challenge to follow the many esteemed past Secretaries-General. I hope, in my time, to extend the ways that IIC’s members worldwide can engage with and participate in the organisation and to help prepare IIC for future challenges such as membership growth, open access publishing, sustainability and the maintenance of IIC’s high standing in the sector”.

The internationally-respected conservator delivers the opening keynote From the Past to the Future (did we miss anything): The Rise of Risk Assessment at the 2019 Australian Conservation Conference on 18 February.

Founded in 1950 by members of the ‘Monuments Men’ – the 300+ men and women from fourteen nations who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section (MFAA) during World War Two, the International Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works is the independent international organisation for professional conservators, educating, enabling and recognising excellence among conservation professionals around the world.

The School of History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff University offers degrees at all levels in Conservation, from undergraduate (BSc Conservation of Objects in Museums and Archaeology) to postgraduate, including MPhil and PhD.