Since 2013, Tilburg University has been using the Elsevier application Pure as both a Current Research Information System (CRIS) and an Institutional Repository (IR). The use of Pure as an IR has been considered undesirable over time, because Pure lacks delete-recovery, versioning, and tombstone functionality, and therefore does not comply with Plan S.

Therefore in 2022 the decision was made to use a separate, open source IR as a safe haven for all CRIS content. Pure would continue to function as input for all data relating to publications and the full-texts would be forwarded to the IR via the build-in Pure connector. After an extensive market research and a tender procedure in 2024 TiU found a suitable IR application (DSpace) and an implementation and hosting partner (Atmire).

Over the years, several institutional repositories have integrated with Pure. More general, the idea of using a CRIS as the submission front end, and leverage the repository for preservation and dissemination is common.

However, the new challenges to comply with Plan S requirements, in combination with the capabilities and limitations in the DSpace 7-Pure connection, both presented here, give the audience an update on the state of the art in this area.

In Brazil, the implementation of the Green Road took place through Institutional Repositories (IRs), which serve to collect, store, organize, and disseminate scientific output. However, studies show that the self-archiving model is not widely adopted in the country. Based on this observation, data was collected to assess the extent to which IRs are facilitating access to scientific publications. A case study involving 14 CNPq level 1A productivity researchers affiliated with the University of Brasilia (UnB) revealed that only 11% of the 2,200 articles self-reported by these researchers are deposited in the UnB IR. An analysis of 136 editorial policies indicated that this low percentage is primarily due to operational challenges rather than editorial restrictions.

Kwame Nkrumah University (KNU), Zambia’s fourth public university, has undergone a remarkable evolution since its founding in 1967 as Kabwe Teachers Training College. Initially established to train junior secondary school teachers, the institution achieved university status in 2014, expanding its academic offerings and infrastructure. Today, KNU serves over 10,000 students through a diverse range of programs under its schools of Natural Sciences, Business Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health Sciences, and Education, alongside a Directorate of Research and Postgraduate Studies.The university’s reliance on physical storage for postgraduate research reports has posed significant challenges, including space constraints, accessibility issues, preservation difficulties, logistical costs, and limited discoverability. These issues, coupled with rising postgraduate enrollments and environmental concerns, underscored the need for innovative solutions.

Abstract

Objective. This research aims to demonstrate the updating process of the Brazilian repository called Health Educational Resources Repository (ARES), which gathers educational resources in health produced under the Open University of the Unified Health System (UNASUS) of the Ministry of Health, aimed at the continuous training of health professionals.

Methodology. This work is characterized as an experience report as it addresses the procedures necessary for updating the Health Educational Resources Repository (ARES). It presents the technologies employed, the changes in informational architecture and metadata standards, as well as the main advancements and challenges.

Keywords

Educational resources; Health educational resources; DSpace; Open University of SUS (UNASUS).

Audience

Managers and developers working with digital repositories based on DSpace.