Diploma in Archival Standards and Digital Preservation
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in archival standards and digital preservation, structured in 8 modules covering technical archives, physical conservation, digitisation, metadata, digital preservation, platforms and legal aspects, with ISO 14721 (OAIS), ISO 16363 and Archivematica, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Archival Standards and Digital Preservation — studying from Malta
Malta's rich heritage, including historic buildings, vintage vehicles and maritime craft, creates a niche for restoration and conservation work. Owners of classic cars, motorcycles and boats seek specialist workshops with knowledge of period engineering and materials. Restoration of historic architecture also requires engineers and technicians familiar with traditional construction methods and conservation rules. Opportunities tend to be found with specialist workshops, heritage organisations and private restorers.
Fees for Malta: €895 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Is there a recognised professional body in Malta for restoration and classic vehicle engineering?
Malta does not have a single state-regulated profession for classic vehicle restoration. Vehicle registration and roadworthiness are handled by Transport Malta. SEIUM Institute's qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any national body. Recognition is determined by employers, clients or the relevant body, so check these before enrolling.
What work could restoration engineers find in Malta?
Malta has a niche market for classic vehicle restoration, mainly through independent workshops, specialist garages and private collectors. Work is often built on reputation and practical craftsmanship. Whether a private online qualification adds value is for individual clients and employers to judge, so it is best to consider it alongside your hands-on experience.
Can I study this part-time with a workshop job, and is funding possible?
Yes. The programmes are fully online, taught in English and suitable for study from home, without needing a student visa. Hours range from 300 to 1,900 depending on the programme. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and each student has an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Identify the types of technical archives.
Physically conserve documents and photographic media.
Plan and carry out digitisation projects.
Describe archival fonds with standardised metadata.
Apply digital preservation standards.
Select suitable systems and platforms.
Manage rights, access and dissemination.
Who it's for
- Technical archivists.
- Digitisation specialists.
- Digital preservation managers.
- Collection documentalists.
- Corporate archive managers.
- Industrial heritage technicians.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter museums and collections.
What you'll work with
- ISO 14721 (OAIS reference model for archival information systems)
- ISO 16363 (audit and certification of trustworthy digital repositories)
- ISO 15489-1 (records management)
- ISO 11799 (storage requirements for archive and library materials)
- ISO 15836 (Dublin Core metadata element set)
- ISO 18934 (multiple-media archives storage environment)
- ISO 19005 (PDF/A for long-term preservation)
- ISAD(G) (general international standard archival description)
- Archivematica
- AtoM
- Omeka S
- Adobe Lightroom
- ABBYY FineReader
8 modules
1.1Types of technical archive documents1.2Drawings, data sheets and workshop manuals1.3Historic photography and negatives1.4Factory and dealership archives1.5Collection and club archives1.6Historical, legal and commercial value1.7The document life cycle1.8Records management to ISO 154891.9Risks of loss1.10Workshop: inventory of a technical archive
2.1Paper, tracings and blueprints2.2Photographic media and film2.3Cellulose nitrate and acetate2.4Environmental conditions to ISO 117992.5Storage of imaging media to ISO 189342.6Conservation enclosures2.7Handling and consultation2.8Pests and mould2.9Emergency plans2.10Practical exercise: storage plan for drawings
3.1Planning digitisation projects3.2Large-format scanners3.3Reproduction photography3.4Resolution and colour depth3.5TIFF, JPEG 2000 and PDF/A formats3.6Image quality control3.7FADGI and Metamorfoze guidelines3.8Optical character recognition3.9Workflow management3.10Lab: digitisation of a large-format drawing
4.1ISAD(G) archival description standards4.2Dublin Core to ISO 158364.3Technical and PREMIS preservation metadata4.4METS schemas4.5Controlled vocabularies4.6Persistent identifiers4.7Description of parts and vehicles4.8Metadata quality4.9Interoperability4.10Practical exercise: descriptive record for a fonds
5.1The OAIS model to ISO 147215.2Trustworthy repositories to ISO 163635.3Preservation formats5.4Integrity and checksums5.5Multiple copies and the 3-2-1 rule5.6Migration and emulation5.7Technological obsolescence5.8Preservation plans5.9Repository audits5.10Case study: preservation plan for a digital collection
6.1Archive management systems6.2Archivematica6.3AtoM and Omeka6.4Digital asset management systems6.5Cloud and on-premises storage6.6Information security to ISO 270016.7Backups6.8Online access and dissemination6.9Costs and sustainability6.10Lab: ingesting objects into Archivematica
7.1Intellectual property in photographs and drawings7.2Copyright and the public domain7.3Data protection in archives7.4Creative Commons licences7.5Agreements with manufacturers and families7.6Access policies7.7Virtual exhibitions7.8Collaboration with researchers7.9Archival ethics7.10Workshop: access policy for an archive
8.1Selection of the fonds8.2Conservation assessment8.3Digitisation plan8.4Metadata schema8.5Digital preservation plan8.6Platform selection8.7Access policy8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine it with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Archivematica, AtoM, Omeka S, Adobe Lightroom and ABBYY FineReader, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for the digitisation of historic drawings and photographs, the design of metadata schemas and long-term digital preservation plans. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 14721 (OAIS), ISO 16363, ISO 15489-1, ISO 11799, ISO 15836 (Dublin Core), ISO 18934, ISO 19005 (PDF/A), ISAD(G).
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Archivematica, AtoM, Omeka S, Adobe Lightroom and ABBYY FineReader, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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