On 12–13 May 2026, the University of Warsaw became an international meeting point for repository managers, librarians, IT specialists and open science experts during The Big Migration 2026 conference, organised jointly by PCG Academia and University of Warsaw.

Over two intensive days, participants from across Europe discussed the future of DSpace, migration strategies, repository interoperability, analytics, AI-powered infrastructures and best practices supporting modern research ecosystems. The event combined strategic discussions with practical implementation experiences shared by universities, libraries and international organizations.

The first day focused primarily on repository migration projects and the transformation of institutional infrastructures. Experts from the University of Warsaw, University of Zurich, Tilburg University and other institutions presented real migration case studies, demonstrating how DSpace and DSpace CRIS are evolving into strategic platforms supporting open science and research visibility. Sessions dedicated to ORCID, CORE and CoreTrustSeal also highlighted the growing importance of interoperability, metadata quality and trusted repository standards.

The second conference day shifted attention towards international collaboration, analytics and the future of intelligent repositories. One of the highlights was the DSpace National Groups Roundtable moderated by Michele Mennielli from Lyrasis, where representatives from Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the Czech Republic discussed how local DSpace communities contribute to global innovation and knowledge exchange.

Artificial intelligence was another major theme of the conference. Presentations delivered by Łazarski University and PCG Academia showcased how AI technologies are gradually transforming repositories from static collections into knowledge-aware infrastructures supporting advanced discovery, contextual search and smarter research management.

The conference also explored repository applications beyond traditional scientific publications. Sessions dedicated to museum, audiovisual and film heritage collections demonstrated how DSpace technologies are increasingly supporting digital preservation initiatives within cultural and creative institutions.

Beyond the presentations themselves, The Big Migration 2026 created a strong space for networking, collaboration and community building. Informal discussions, expert consultations and the gala dinner hosted in the historic Column Hall of the University of Warsaw provided participants with valuable opportunities to exchange experiences and establish new international connections.

Key takeaways from The Big Migration 2026

🔹 Repository migration is becoming a strategic institutional initiative

Universities increasingly approach migration projects as part of broader digital transformation and open science strategies.

🔹 DSpace CRIS is evolving into a “single source of truth”

Modern repositories are becoming integrated research information ecosystems connecting publications, projects, researchers and external databases.

🔹 Interoperability and integrations are critical

ORCID, CORE, Scopus, Web of Science and other integrations are now essential elements of modern repository infrastructures.

🔹 AI is reshaping repository ecosystems

Artificial intelligence is opening new possibilities in metadata enrichment, semantic discovery and contextual knowledge management.

🔹 Community collaboration drives innovation

The conference clearly demonstrated the importance of strong national and international DSpace communities in accelerating platform development and knowledge exchange.

Contact

Would you like to discuss your migration plans or explore how DSpace and DSpace CRIS can support your institution?

📅 Schedule a meeting with Małgorzata Paszkowska

[PLACEHOLDER FOR CALENDAR / MEETING LINK]

Thank you for being part of The Big Migration 2026

We would like to sincerely thank University of Warsaw for co-organising this exceptional event, as well as all speakers, partners and participants for sharing their expertise, experience and ideas.

Thank you for helping us build an international community focused on repositories, open science and digital transformation in higher education.

We look forward to seeing you again at future events organised by PCG Academia.

Conference videos

Event gallery