Course of study

In September 2024, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University launched a new Master 1 in Archaeology and Preventive Conservation Jaussen & Savignac.

Fully funded by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the program trains 10 students each year — Saudi, French, and international —who are interested in Near Eastern archaeology, providing them with a rigorous education that closely integrates theory and practice.

Fieldwork training in archaeology and preventive conservation is at the core of this program, and will enable students to apply for the second-year Master 2 in Archaeology and Master 2 in Conservation–Restoration of Cultural Heritage at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University.

Saudi students will first complete a one-year French as a Foreign Language programme at a language center in France (the CAVILAM).

Moreover, this Master 1 includes two internships: one in France, and the other on one of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University's field schools located in the AlUla oasis.
 

Training Programme

Brochure du Master 1 Jaussen et Savignac [Pdf-823 Ko_ version Word-2,27 Mo]

Maquette du parcours de master 1 Archéologie et conservation préventive "Jaussen & Savignac" [Pdf-6,12Ko]

• Pr Gaëlle TALLET, Programme director and full Professor

Professor (Mediterranean and Near Eastern Archaeology of the Hellenistic and Roman Periods)

• Claire BETELU, Deputy Director of the Programme

Associate Professor, Director of Studies (Conservation–Restoration of Cultural Heritage)

• Pr Pascal BUTTERLIN, Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology (History, Civilization, Archaeology, and Art of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds)
• Gabrielle CHOIMET, Contract Lecturer and Researcher (Material Culture Analysis, Public Archaeology – Current Theories and Practices, and Field Archaeology)
• Guillaume CHUNG TO, Contract Lecturer and Researcher (Archaeological Computing, Field Archaeology)
• Homam FAIAD, Teaching Fellow (Arabic Language)
• Delphine GILLOT, Associate Lecturer (Conservation–Restoration of Cultural Heritage)
• Pr François GILIGNY, Full Professor (Methods and Theory of Archaeology)
• Colette LEVY, Teaching Fellow (FLE -French as a Foreign Language)
• Charlotte MARTIN DE FONJAUDRAN, Associate Lecturer (Conservation–Restoration of Cultural Heritage)
• Giulia NICATORE, Contract Lecturer and Researcher (Environmental Archaeology)
• Pr Dominique PIERI, Full Professor (Byzantine Archaeology)
• Clotilde PROUST, Associate Lecturer (Conservation–Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Archaeology / Art Objects)
• Pr Jean-Pierre VAN STAËVEL, Professor of Archaeology of the Islamic World (History, Civilization, Archaeology, and Art of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds).

The annual AlUla Workshop is held once or twice a year in AlUla by the Jaussen and Savignac Programme in partnership with The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and the saudi administration of education to promote cultural exchanges, research and professional development.

The training workshop is primarily intended for residents of AlUla, including parents, school administrators, tourism professionals, and individuals interested in archaeology and heritage.

The first annual training workshop in AlUla took place from May 19 to 24, 2025, and was held in the form of three separate workshops:

• How archaeology is done,
• Connecting people with archaeological material culture
• Teaching archaeology.

Programme des ateliers de mai 2025 [Pdf- 316Ko]

Speakers from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne:
 Professor François Giligny
Cyrille Galinand, Archaeologist
Salomé Sepeau, Cultural mediator and Photographer 
Translators: Rasha Alzahrawi et Ahmed Haroon
Photo credit  ©CGalinand et ©SSepeau

Each year, a 'Jaussen & Savignac Chair' will take the form of a one-week intensive off-site residency in the Paris region, bringing together all Master's students, French language learners, PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, professors from Paris 1, and invited international scholars.

Off-Site Seminar 2024

The 2024 Off-Site Seminar was held from December 16 to 19, 2024, at the Château de Montvillargenne in Gouvieux-Chantilly, in the Oise department. Over the course of four highly focused days, PhD candidates, researchers, professors, and project leaders presented their research topics, early analyses, and mission results. The supportive and friendly atmosphere naturally fostered exchanges between the researchers, the students of the Jaussen & Savignac Program, and the international guests: See the full 2024 Off-Site Seminar programme.