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 New Zealand
Vehicle restoration and classic engine work in New Zealand is supported by an active enthusiast community and a well-established network of specialist workshops, particularly around the main centres. Historic vehicle registration and compliance fall under the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, and the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand promotes preservation of historic vehicles. Restoration professionals often combine fabrication, engineering and heritage conservation skills.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,770 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Is restoration engineering recognised by a professional body in New Zealand?
There is no specific statutory register for classic vehicle or heritage restoration engineers in New Zealand. Heritage matters can involve Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, and vehicle roadworthiness is governed by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their value depends on the employer or client.
Where do classic restoration specialists work in New Zealand?
Work is found in independent restoration workshops, classic car dealers, museums, and specialist fabrication businesses, many clustered around the main centres. Clients and employers usually judge by workmanship and a portfolio of completed restorations. A private qualification may complement that evidence but is rarely a deciding factor on its own.
Can I study this while running or working in a workshop here?
Yes. The course is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in New Zealand without a student visa. Specialist courses total 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. An assigned technical tutor supports you, and fees can be paid in instalments.
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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