The International Council on Archives (ICA) is pleased to announce a call for participants to attend the International Workshop on Archives, which will take place in Shanghai, China from 2–7 November 2026.
All selected participants will receive a scholarship to attend this workshop.
This workshop offers professionals and educators an opportunity to examine how emerging technologies are reshaping the landscape of archival practice. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on sessions, and professional visits, participants will deepen their understanding on the latest research and development in the use of innovative technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, in archives and records management settings, through an international perspective.
Designed for mid-career professionals and university-level educators, the workshop addresses both the theoretical foundations and the practical realities of integrating new technologies into archival functions. Participants will be invited to critically explore available tools and current approaches and assess how these could be applied in their own contexts.
A central ambition of the workshop is to translate knowledge into action, enabling participants to develop practical skills with direct applicability to their working or teaching environments. It will also be a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge with colleagues from both China and the international ICA community.
Below, you will find all the essential information to submit your application for this exciting opportunity.
Who can apply?
To apply, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Being an ICA individual member or right holders of ICA institutional members (Categories A, B or C) in good standing;
- Being either
- a mid-career professional working in archives and information service organizations, with more than 5 years of working experience in the field, or
- a faculty member teaching archives and information management disciplines at a higher education institution, with more than 5 years of working experience
- Having a good working level of English, as the workshop will be delivered in English and Chinese
- Not having previously participated in the 2024 Shanghai International Workshop on Archives
Please note that this call is exclusively open to applicants outside of the People’s Republic of China. A dedicated call for participants based in China will be issued separately by Shanghai University.
Applicants must provide their ICA membership number and be in good standing with ICA dues paid. If you have any questions regarding your membership status, please log in to your ICA Profile or contact us at members@ica.org.
If you have the requested profile and are not yet an ICA member, please click here to learn about the ICA membership and become part of our professional network. Please note that new members may not receive their membership number until a few days after payment. If you haven’t received it by the time you submit your application, please indicate the date of payment and enter “Pending Membership #” in the appropriate field on the registration form.
If you meet the criteria stated before, we invite you to not miss this opportunity!
What is the bursary covering?
- Airfare (only for participants from developing countries*)
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Transportation
Please note that the cost and process of obtaining a visa for the People’s Republic of China will be the responsibility of each applicant.
*Please see the official list of countries below.
Selection criteria
The assessment of applications and the final selection of participants by the Selection Committee will be based on the following criteria:
- Relevance and alignment of the workshop with the applicant’s current professional role, position, or overall career trajectory, as explained in their personal statement
- Gender balance
- Balanced geographical representation across world regions
- Quality and potential impact of the applicant’s proposed knowledge transfer activities following the workshop
In addition, this call aims to achieve an equal representation of participants from developed and developing countries.
How to apply?
You can apply by clicking below and completing the application form (available in English, French and Spanish)
If you are a staff member of an institutional member, a letter of support from the person responsible for your institutional ICA membership (or coordinator) will be requested.
You will also be asked to provide a résume of no more than 2 pages.
You will need to provide information about your passport as you will need to apply for a visa from the People’s Republic of China to attend the workshop in Shanghai. As a reminder, to obtain a visa for the People’s Republic of China, your passport must have a remaining validity of 6 months at the time of application and at least 2 blank pages. Please note that all visa requirements are subject to the specific regulations of the Chinese embassy or consulate where you submit your application.
The deadline for submitting your application is Friday, July 24, 23:59 CET (Paris time).
Call for participants open
Deadline for submitting your application form
Additional information may be requested by the Selection Committee
Communication of results
International Workshop on Archives, Shanghai
Questions?
If you have questions about this call, please email us at training@ica.org
