Training schemes aimed at heritage professionals in the developing world encounter considerable challenges and obstacles - sometimes successfully, but more often with ambiguous, if not negative results. When faced with the enormous task of addressing conservation training needs in sub-Saharan Africa, ICCROM decided to get off the beaten track by producing a long-term strategy. Ten years after launching PREMA, the prospects of autonomous training and heritage preservation in Africa are no longer elusive. The paper highlights the program's philosophy, strategy and achievements in hopes of improving training programs in developing countries and... Why not elsewhere?