The EUI is launching a new version of Cadmus, its institutional research repository. What were the key motivations behind this major upgrade?
Cadmus has been the digital home of EUI research for over 20 years, but the technology landscape and user expectations have evolved significantly. By upgrading the technology behind the tool (from open source software DSpace 5 to DSpace 7), we ensure that our repository remains fit for purpose—modern, flexible, and user-friendly.
While many see Cadmus mainly as a record of the EUI’s scientific production, it is also a key tool for ensuring interoperability and standardised metadata. This makes EUI research output more visible, discoverable, and impactful, so the upgrade was essential to maintain our high standards.
Could you highlight some of the most significant new features that users can expect from the updated Cadmus?
Absolutely. The new Cadmus introduces several features:
· It has been designed to be both responsive and user-friendly: One of the most noticeable improvements is that it now displays the first page of publications as icons, giving users a quick visual reference.
· It allows readers to create personalised lists of publications and easily export them, which really enhances the overall research experience.
· It features a new ORCID integration: Whether you are a current or former academic, you can connect your ORCID iD to Cadmus. It also offers improved syncing, allowing publications to appear automatically in users' ORCID profiles. All updates in Cadmus will be reflected in the ORCID profiles.
· It includes enhanced usage statistics, exposing the overall access of EUI research output: It allows users to view the top EUI authors, top consulted publications, and worldwide readership. Also, authors and readers can now see from where someone is accessing and downloading their work.
· It provides entity-based navigation and search: The new Cadmus enables users to explore content through interconnected entities such as EUI authors, research projects, and publications. Looking ahead, we plan to expand this functionality to improve discoverability, including enhanced search capabilities and the integration of additional entity types, such as organisational units and datasets, as well as exploring further integrations with EUI profile pages. With enhanced filters and search capabilities, the new Cadmus makes it easier to discover relevant research outputs and cite them accurately.
Why is this upgrade particularly relevant now, in 2025?
The Cadmus upgrade has been a major priority for the Library in recent years. Initiated by the Library Open Science Office in 2023, the open tender was launched in Spring 2024 to ensure the repository remains cutting-edge. Today, the need for trustworthy, accessible research is more pressing than ever. With growing reliance on structured, open research outputs by AI tools, funders, and publishers, it is essential that repositories like Cadmus stay at the forefront. This upgrade enables EUI researchers to meet evolving Open Science requirements and reaffirms the EUI’s leadership in scholarly communication. It also aligns with the broader transformation of the Institute, including its new vision and strategic path.
What is the added value for EUI researchers and the broader academic community?
For EUI researchers, Cadmus is a tool of visibility and impact. It connects their work to global audiences, improves citation rates, and satisfies funder mandates for Open Access. For the broader community, it provides free access to high-quality social sciences and humanities research, often publicly funded, that contributes to pressing societal debates on European integration, governance, and democracy.
With nearly 70% of the 2024 research outputs in Open Access, how will the new Cadmus support the EUI’s Open Science efforts?
Open Access is not just a policy—it is a principle of transparency, equity, and scholarly progress. The new Cadmus is built to advance those principles by making it easier for EUI researchers and professional staff to share and track EUI-authored publications. It also ensures compliance with funder mandates and supports FAIR principles for data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). We believe this is a key tool in strengthening the visibility of and access to EUI research output to the broader society. It is fundamental for initiating the discussions around a new EUI Open Science roadmap.
Check out the new Cadmus, the EUI's research repository. Just launched, it offers better visibility, accessibility, and usability of EUI’s research through a more user-friendly interface and enhanced search. Read more in the Library's blogpost.