The Section on University and Research Institution Archives of the 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 with the support of the Portuguese Association of Librarians, Archivists and Information and Documentation Professionals (BAD), are pleased to announce their joint annual conference for 2026.
The conference, entitled University and Research Institution Archives for the Environment: Imagining Archives of the Natural World, will take place at the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra (Portugal) from 8 to 10 September 2026. The event will be held in person.
Call for Proposals
Ahead of the conference, the ICA/SUV Section invites academic and/or practice-based proposals for:
- Individual papers
- Panels
- Discussion tables
- Other presentation formats
Proposals should address archival theory and practice in university and research institution archives in relation to the conference theme. Colleagues from other disciplines and professional fields are also warmly invited to contribute, particularly where proposals encourage interdisciplinary exchange, dialogue, and learning.
Presentations may address any aspect of the theme. The ICA/SUV Section particularly encourages proposals engaging with the following areas.
Conference Themes
1. Environment and Sustainability
Recognising the understudied yet critical intersection between archives and knowledge of the natural environment, universities and research institutions are encouraged to support efforts to preserve and make accessible archives, records, data, and biological collections.
2. One Health and the Non-Human Turn
“One Health archives” refer to records and documentation connected to the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. This perspective encourages the use of existing records in new ways, as well as the creation of new records that move beyond human-centric viewpoints.
Archives emerging from these nature-based modes of inquiry contain both historical and ongoing materials that document the evolution of interdisciplinary research fields and provide essential resources for new scientific studies, including (but not limited to) zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance.
3. Archives and Natural History Collections
Natural history collections are held across institutions worldwide. While documenting the natural world, these collections also bear witness to complex social, historical, and colonial realities, including dispossession, theft, and exploitation.
Presentation Formats
Proposals may be submitted in one of the following formats:
- Lightning Talks: Rapid and concise presentations (10 minutes)
- Papers: Research or scholarly papers (20 minutes); analytical, descriptive, or reflective
- Experiences: A 15-minute presentation related specifically to Subtopic 3
- Panel Discussions: Three speakers plus a facilitator, offering varied perspectives on a shared topic (please indicate the requested duration)
- Posters: Presentation of research, projects, ideas, or other work in poster format; posters will be displayed in a dedicated space at the conference venue. Poster presenters must be present during the session to explain their work and answer questions
- Wild Card: Propose your own format or idea and indicate the requested duration
Language
Unfortunately, translation services will not be available during the conference and workshop. For this reason, only papers presented in English will be accepted.
Submission and Practical Information
- Submission deadline: 19 January 2026
- Selected papers may be published, subject to agreement with the authors
- Speakers are expected to cover their own travel costs
If you have any questions about this call, please email Caroline Brown, ICA/SUV Chair at c.z.brown@dundee.ac.uk
