The deadline for submissions is January 19.

The International Council on Archives Section on University and Research Institution Archives (ICA-SUV) and the Committee on the Archives of Science and Technology (CAST), in collaboration with the Archive of the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra and the support of the Portuguese Association of Librarians, Archivists and Information and Documentation Professionals (BAD) are pleased to announce their combined annual conference for 2026. The conference, titled University and Research Institution Archives for the Environment: imagining archives of the natural world, will be held at the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra (Portugal), 8th-10th September 2026. This will be an in-person conference.

We invite academic and/or practice-based proposals for individual papers, panels, discussion tables, and other formats on different aspects of archival theory and practice in university and research institution archives that address the conference theme. We also warmly invite colleagues from other fields and specialties to engage in interdisciplinary conversation and learning.

Presentations can relate to any aspect of the theme, but we particularly encourage proposals which discuss the following topics:

1. Environment and Sustainability

Recognising the understudied but critical intersection between archives and natural environment knowledge, universities and research institutions are encouraged to support their efforts to preserve and make accessible archives, records, data and biological collections.

We welcome proposals which:

  • Use practical examples to demonstrate how university and research institution archives help to understand climate change and environmental performance though their holdings.
  • Unlock the potential of raw data, landscape photographs, agricultural records, etc… to support specific sustainability objectives, e.g. UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (‘Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts’).
  • Explore how archivists can work in partnership and develop relationships with scientific and research colleagues to creatively use archival holdings.

2. One Health and the Non-human Turn

"One Health archives" refers to the collected records and documents related to the "One Health" approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Thus utilizing extant records in new ways or creating new records that move away from human-centric perspectives. As such, the archives derived from these nature-based modes of inquiry contain historical and ongoing materials that track the evolution of these interdisciplinary fields and provide resources for new scientific studies (e.g. zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance) and more.


We welcome proposals which explore some of the following topics:

  • How extant collections already in archival repositories enhance these lines of research and how are archives themselves informed by non-human-centric lines of enquiry and resulting records.
  • The importance of university and research institution archives in providing evidence of climate change and supplying data which can help society to plan for a better future and incorporate non-human-centric visions.
  • Animal, plant, fungi and/or bacteria biographies, histories, and more.

3. Archives and Natural History Collections

There is a wealth of natural history collections in different institutions across the world. As well as documenting the natural world, these holdings can also bear witness to complicated social, historical and colonial realities, such as dispossession, theft and exploitation.

We welcome proposals that discuss:

  • How can archival theory and practice inform large histories through the “personal” histories of artefacts?
  • Explorations of innovative approaches to the management of archives and records within Natural History Collections, Botanic Gardens, in particular regarding successful collaboration with other professionals and ways of recording and collecting scientific practices, and conscious editing, multilingual access, or reparative archival description.
  • Recording, sharing and promoting Indigenous knowledge systems and epistemologies. alongside other taxonomic practices.
  • Preparations and practice for restitution and rematriation and repatriation.

Papers and presentations formats:

  • Lightning Talks: Rapid and concise presentations; 10 minutes long
  • Papers: Research/scholarly papers; 20 minutes long; can be analytical, descriptive, or reflective
  • Experiences: A 15-minute presentation related to subtopic 3.
  • Panel Discussion: Composed of 3 speakers, plus a facilitator, with varied perspectives discussing a similar topic; indicate length of time requested
  • Posters: Presentation of research work, a project, an idea, or any other type of work in poster format, which participants of the ICA-SUV and the CAST workshop can view in a dedicated space at the conference venue. Those presenting a poster should be present during the presentation session to provide explanations and answer questions related to the poster.
  • Wild Card : Submit your own idea or format and indicate length of time requested

Unfortunately, translation services are unavailable during the conference and workshop, so only papers in English will be accepted.

The deadline for submissions is January 19, 2026. Selected papers may be published, after agreement with the authors. Speakers will be expected to cover their own travel costs. Some bursaries will be available.

Please submit via Google form HERE.

As part of the organizing committee’s commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion, this conference is open to all; proposal submitters do not need to be a member of ICA-SUV, ICA, or CAST. We aim to make this conference and workshop accessible to speakers and participants from different backgrounds, countries and perspectives.

We look forward to seeing you in Coimbra!

More information about ICA-SUV: https://www.ica.org/suv/

Local Organizing Committee

  • Ana Margarida Dias da Silva, Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Centre for the History of Society and Culture (CHSC)
  • António Carmo Gouveia, Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE)
  • Maria Fernanda Rollo, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities NOVA University of Lisbon, History, Territories and Communities- Centre for Functional Ecology (TERRA-CFE)
  • Jorge Varanda, Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Centre for Research in Anthropology (CRIA)
  • Maria Beatriz Marques, Faculty of Art and Humanities of the University of Coimbra, Transdisciplinary Research Centre for Culture, Space and Memory (CITCEM)
  • Ana Lúcia Terra, Faculty of Art and Humanities of the University of Coimbra, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (CEIS20)
  • Paula Meireles, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Associação Portuguesa de Bibliotecários, Arquivistas e Profissionais da Informação e Documentação