Webinar Summary

The webinar “DSpace Reimagined: The Next Generation of AI-Powered Repositories” presented a forward-looking vision for the evolution of DSpace as a modern, intelligent research repository platform. The session focused on how artificial intelligence, automation, and user-centric design are shaping the future of institutional repositories and research information management.

From Repository to Intelligent Research Platform

Speakers emphasized that DSpace is no longer perceived solely as a storage system for publications, but as a strategic component of the digital research ecosystem. The next generation of DSpace is being designed to actively support researchers, librarians, and research administrators by simplifying workflows, improving data quality, and increasing the visibility and impact of scholarly outputs.

The role of AI in DSpace

The webinar highlighted that repositories are at a clear turning point as user behaviour shifts toward AI-powered search. AI is no longer a future concept but a present expectation, with AI-driven discovery rapidly becoming the primary way users seek information. In this context, AI acts as a signpost for DSpace, helping repositories evolve from static storage systems into knowledge-aware platforms that can handle scale, complexity, and growing volumes of scholarly content.

Key benefits

AI enables repositories to better leverage the scale, structure, and trustworthiness of their collections. Meaning-based search improves access to relevant knowledge where traditional keyword search becomes overwhelming. AI-driven OCR and structured content improve searchability, reuse, and long-term preservation, while intelligent connections reveal hidden relationships between content and support improved visibility, reuse, and citation impact.

Use case – student

Students often rely on general AI tools that may return unverified or unreliable sources. AI search within DSpace directs them to trusted, institutionally curated content, provides clear summaries, and links directly to original materials, helping them study more efficiently and with greater confidence in the sources.

Use case – researcher

Researchers face information overload as institutional repositories grow. AI search supports meaning-based retrieval that surfaces relevant literature and datasets beyond simple keyword matches, speeding up literature reviews and helping researchers identify connections across domains.

Use case – administrative worker

Administrative and repository staff are frequently burdened by manual metadata work and OCR cleanup. AI-driven OCR reduces repetitive tasks, allowing staff to focus on higher-value activities such as policy development, quality assurance, and strategic planning, while improving overall repository usability.

Community-Driven Innovation

The webinar underlined the importance of the global DSpace community in shaping the platform’s roadmap. Development priorities are informed by real-world needs of universities and research institutions, ensuring that innovation remains aligned with practical challenges faced by repository managers and research offices.

PCG Academia Perspective

From PCG Academia’s perspective, the presented vision of DSpace aligns strongly with the growing expectations of universities in Europe and beyond. Institutions are seeking not only compliant repositories, but intelligent, scalable platforms that support research assessment, open science strategies, and digital transformation. As an experienced partner in implementing and developing DSpace-based solutions, PCG Academia supports universities in leveraging these next-generation capabilities to build future-ready research environments.