Koosje Spitz holds a Bachelor Degree in History from the university of Groningen and partially at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik. She wrote her bachelor thesis on the theory of the art historian Erwin Panofsky on the proto-Renaissance and legacy of the twelfth century Abbot Suger. In December 2010 she completed her MA in World Heritage Studies at the UNESCO chair for Heritage Studies at the Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus, Germany. In her thesis ‘Toward a More Collaborative Approach; A study on the mutuality of colonial heritage and alternative means of dispute resolution’ she focused on recent developments in international cultural heritage law and the need for alternative means of dispute resolution in conflicts on cultural properties that originated or have been transferred under colonial ruling.
After her internships at the Centre for International Heritage Activities (CIE) in Leiden and the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to UNESCO in Paris, she started working as junior staff member at the CIE in January 2011. She will be establishing a database with information on the Australian Dutch heritage cooperation. This project will be conducted in close collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Canberra, Australia.
From January until the beginning of June Koosje will be Acting Adjunct Director of the CIE.
