Each cohort of Active New Professionals collaborates on a group project designed to support and advance the objectives of the ICA New Professionals Programme. These projects contribute to the archival profession by exploring emerging topics, producing practical resources, and sharing innovative perspectives from early career professionals around the world.
Explore the projects developed by successive cohorts of the ICA New Professionals Programme below.
Resources available for download are indicated below and can be found in the Downloads section at the bottom of this page.
Rethinking Archival Practice – NPs 2025/2026
The 2025/2026 cohort explored how archival practice is evolving in response to new professional challenges, community expectations, and emerging approaches to stewardship. Through research, surveys, interviews, and resource development, the cohort examined how archivists are rethinking traditional practices to build a more inclusive and adaptable profession.
To learn more about this project:
- Webinar “#IAW2025 Online Workshop: Rethinking Archival Practices with the New Professionals Cohort”, as part of the International Archives Week 2025 online programme, 11 June 2025
- ICA Congress Barcelona 2025 presentations:
- Mapping the landscape of archival practices: Creating a resource guide to traditional and new approaches, 28 October 2025
- Challenging, but absolutely necessary: Archivists’ Experiences in Rethinking Archival Practices, 28 October 2025
- “Rethinking Archival Practices: Insights from the 2025/2026 New Professionals Cohort”, Flash N° 47, January 2026
- Mapping the Landscape of Archival Practices: Creating a Resource Guide to Traditional and New Approaches
- What Does Rethinking Archival Practices Mean to Archivists?
- Download: “Rethinking Archival Practices: A Resource Guide to Current and Alternative Archival Practices” – Final Report
- Download: “Rethinking Archival Practices Survey” – Final Report, July 2026
- Download: “Rethinking Archival Practices” – Interviews with archive professionals:
- Adrià Font Guim interview with María José Badenas, President of the Association of Valencian Archivists and Records Managers
- Faythe Lou interview with Nicole Hartland, Digital Archivist, Parliamentary Knowledge and Information, UK Parliament
- Herbert Duran interview with Maria Bear, Resident Archivist at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI)
- Sayan Sanyal interview with Venkat Srinivasan, Archivist at the Archives at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, and a founding member of the Millie Archives Foundation
Volunteers in Archives: Exploring the Relationship Between Archive Professionals and Volunteers – NPs 2022/2023
This project examined the growing role of volunteers in archival institutions and explored how archive professionals and volunteers can work together effectively. The cohort investigated the opportunities, challenges, and good practices surrounding volunteer engagement within the heritage sector.
To learn more about this project:
- Webinar “Volunteering Within the Heritage Sector: Exploring the Relationship Between the Archive Professional and Volunteers”, as part of the International Archives Week 2023 online programme, June 2023
- ICA Congress Abu Dhabi 2023 presentation: The Volunteer Question: The Relationship between the Archive Professional and the Volunteer, 10 October 2023
- Volunteering within the Heritage Sector: Exploring the Relationship between the Archive Professionals and Volunteers, Flash N° 44, May 2024
Analysis of the Roles, Responsibilities and Challenges of New Professionals Today – NPs 2021/2022
The 2021/2022 cohort conducted an international survey to better understand the experiences of new professionals entering the archival sector. The project identified common challenges, highlighted professional needs, and produced recommendations that informed the development of ICA’s support for early career archivists.
To learn more about this project:
- Webinar “New Professionals: Who we are, what we do and how you can support us”, as part of the International Archives Week 2022 online programme, June 2022
- ICA Conference Roma 2022 presentation: Gaps: An Analysis of the Roles, Responsibilities and Challenges of New Professionals Today, 22 September 2022
- Download: ICA New Professionals Survey 2022 – Final Report, May 2023. This report was presented at the June 2023 PCOM meeting. PCOM responded to the recommendations provided, and the Early Career Professionals Provisional Section has since been formed and is working with the NPP to implement some of the recommendations.
The survey data is available to download at the end of this page, and the interviews can be watched here.
Whose Stories Do We Tell? A New Professional’s Survey on Archival Digitization Strategies – NPs 2020/2021
This project explored how digitisation strategies influence which histories are preserved and made accessible online. Through an international survey and subsequent discussions, the cohort examined issues of representation, inclusion, and decision-making in archival digitisation programmes.
To learn more about this project:
- Webinar “Whose Stories Do We Tell: A New Professionals Picnic Blanket on Digitisation Strategy” as part of the International Archives Week 2021 online programme, June 2021
- ICA Virtual Conference 2021 presentation: “Whose Stories Do We Tell: Viewing the Past, Present and Future through the Lens of Digitisation”, 26 October 2021
- ICA Roma Conference 2022 presentation: Whose Stories Do We Tell?: Practical Actions Towards An Inclusive Digitisation Strategy, 21 September 2022
- “Whose stories do we not tell, perspective from the ICA New Professionals”, Flash N° 43, May 2022
Outreach and Support: Giving Voice to Archival New Professionals – NPs 2019/2020
The 2019/2020 cohort focused on strengthening the visibility and participation of new professionals within the archival community. Their work produced practical resources, facilitated professional dialogue, and encouraged greater engagement with current issues affecting early career archivists worldwide.
To learn more about this project:
- Webinar “ICA New Professionals Sunday Coffee (or Tea)”, an hour’s discussion around the many different ways to be an archivist in 2020, 14 June 2020
- ICA Conference Adelaide 2019 presentation: New Professionals session – Discussion on archives and records in a changing world, 24 October 2019
- “User-Centered: A glimpse in tomorrow’s archives”, Flash N° 39, April 2020
- Download: Leaflet: Running a Workshop at a Conference for First-Time Facilitators
- Download: A Statement on Archives and the Black Lives Matter Movement, June 2020
Study on Training Offer for Stewardship of Documentary Heritage – NPs 2018/2019
Recognising the importance of professional development, this cohort examined training opportunities related to the stewardship of documentary heritage. Their work contributed to discussions on the skills and knowledge required to support the future of archival practice.
To learn more about this project:
- ICA Conference Yaoundé 2018 presentation – Continuity and Change: Reflections on current Stewardship of Documentary Heritage, 27 November 2018
- “Yaounde: Historic Conference in Africa”, Flash N° 37, March 2019
Advocacy: New Professionals Programme – NPs 2017/2018
The 2017/2018 cohort developed resources to promote the New Professionals Programme and encourage greater participation in the ICA community. Through advocacy materials and personal testimonies, the project highlighted the value of international collaboration for early career professionals.
To learn more about this project:
- ICA Conference Mexico City 2017 presentation: New Professionals discuss their experiences and perspectives on Archives and Human Rights; E-records Management and Digital Curation; and Community Archive, 29 November 2017
- “Archives, Citizenship and Interculturalism in Mexico City”, Flash N° 35, February 2018
- Download: New Professionals Programme leaflet and poster
- Download: Why I Joined the ICA
ICA New Professionals Survey – NPs 2016/2017
This cohort of the ICA New Professionals Programme conducted an international survey to better understand the interests, expectations, and priorities of emerging professionals. The findings helped shape the future direction of the programme and established a foundation for subsequent cohort projects.
To learn more about this project:
- ICA Congress Seoul 2016 presentation: ICA’s 2016 New Professionals Programme (NPP) Achievements and Perspectives, 8 September 2016
- “Sustaining the Spirit of Seoul”, Flash N° 33, January 2017
- Download: Final Report, ICA New Professionals Survey – 2016