Elevate Your Expertise in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection

One Summer, Two Certifications

In 2026, the Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA) will offer two postgraduate certificate programmes in Art Crime and Cultural Property Protection. Applicants may choose to pursue either or both certificates over the course of one summer, allowing for a truly  comprehensive exploration of the interconnect subjects in this field.

Each Post Lauream track focuses on essential concepts and strategies related to the study, investigation, and prevention of art and antiquities crime, as well as the ethics, management, and protection of collections. Both provide in-depth instruction in important theoretical and practical elements related to combatting art and heritage crime and are built on integrated curriculums with low trainee to professor ratios. This fosters an engaging and participatory learning environment which allows for more personalised instruction and active collaboration, and encourages deeper interaction and discussion.

Designed to provide advanced, specialised knowledge, ARCA’s postgraduate certificates offer applicants an interdisciplinary learning experience that addresses the complexities of cultural property ownership, circulation, and protection.  At their conclusion, trainees who participate in these programmes will be equipped with the tools needed to confront the intricate challenges of art crime prevention on a global scale.

ARCA’s courses are led by internationally recognised experts and offer a unique combination of academic instruction, interactive peer discussions, and experiential learning. Each course delves into the interconnected world of art crime, providing a comprehensive examination of its global impact.  Select courses also include course-related site visits to culturally significant venues in Italy, seamlessly connecting theoretical concepts with practical, real-world applications. This immersive, hands-on approach deepens participants’ understanding of the challenges faced by professionals working to protect cultural heritage.

Situated against the backdrop of  Italy’s culturally rich landscape, ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes offer an exceptional learning environment. And upon completion, participants will possess a well-rounded, and unparalleled skill set and the practical expertise required to lead initiatives in cultural property protection and art crime prevention.

If you’re passionate about safeguarding cultural heritage, these programmes are your gateway to becoming a leader in the field.

Post Lauream I – 22 May through 23 June 2026                    

Postgraduate Certificate in Art and Antiquities Crime     

Post Lauream II – 26 June through 26 June 2026                  

Postgraduate Certificate in Provenance, Acquisition, & Interpretation of Cultural Property

*As spaces on the census for each of these programmes is limited, interested individuals are strongly advised to request and submit application materials as quickly as possible. Completed application files are reviewed on a rolling basis until each programme census cap is reached, after which, any remaining accepted candidates are placed on the waiting list.

For questions related to participating in this training program, please write to us at:  programmes [at] artcrimeresearch.org

Programme Participants Explore the Following Topics

• art crime and its prevalence
• the preconditions, processes and consequences of art and antiquities crime
• contemporary perspectives on the detection, investigation, and prosecution of art crime
• art and heritage law and international legal instruments
• illicit trafficking and its interconnected relationship with the licit art market
• provenance and the challenges of recovering looted assets
• criminological theories and their application to the study of art crime
• art crime during war and armed symmetrical and asymmetrical conflicts
• the licit art market and its associated risk
• art insurance and fine art underwriting
• the ethics of antiquities preservation and publication
• risk management and crime prevention in museum security
• fakes, forgery and deception in the art market
• the financial and social motivations for art crime
• art, antiquities, and cultural identity

Lecturers for Post Lauream I & II include: