Department of Civil Engineering
Laboratory of building material, Thessaloniki, Greece
www.civil.auth.gr

The Engineering School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki has established the Intersectional Programme of Postgraduate Studies on Protection, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Monument in 1998. This Postgraduate Programme is divided into two directions concerning Monuments of Architecture and Work of Arts and Mechanisms.  The Education level of this Programme, which is running for seven years, has been graded by third party board of evaluators with the highest mark. This programme comprises class lessons (cores and electives) laboratory exercises, practical exercise on sites and diploma work.
In the frame of this programme, a number of distinguished scientists from Europe are invited to give lectures needs. In addition, specific educational seminars for the students and professionals are held annually. The Engineering School which supports the Postgraduate Studies Programme provides the facilities and infrastructure for the laboratory exercises and PhD research. The research capability of the Post Graduate Programme is very extensive considering the intersectional character of it. The Laboratory of Building Materials and its scientific staff are responsible for 5 courses of Post graduated Studies Programme. A number of diploma works are also carried out there. This Laboratory has long experience in cooperation with other organizations (ICCROM, RILEM, and NATO) and European Universities in the field of Culture Heritage Protection and in coordinating national and European research projects.
The laboratory was one of the 10 European partners of the already mentioned CURRIC project coordinated by ICCROM:
At this Laboratory the very successful international CAMBA courses in Thessaloniki 1998, and 2001, about Conservation of Ancient Masonry in Byzantine Architecture were organized. The members of the Laboratory are invited speakers in relevant seminars and conferences in Greece and Europe. A number of foreigner students from European Universities are hosted by the Laboratory in the frame of EC SOCRATES Programme. Besides many PhD students from Egypt, Balkan countries, many others are hosted in order to implement their research in the Laboratory infrastructure.