InterPARES (The International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems) project and its findings are well-known by archival communities world wide. Upon the completion of its second phase, thirteen countries including China have come and formed its third phase (IP3) for the purpose of testing and further developing theories and solutions for the long-term preservation of digital records.

In order to better understand the previous rich research findings of InterPARES and to prepare for IP3, Prof. Jian WANG, the Director of IP3 Team China invited Sherry L. XIE, researcher of IP2, to present a lecture entitled "The InterPARES Project & Its Findings" on Jun 29, 2007 in the School of Information Resource management (SIRM)at the Renmin University of China(RUC). 

The lecture provided valuable information about InterPARES, such as the project’s background, its research design and methodologies, and its core findings, in which key concepts, the Policy Framework, the COP Model, and the Guidelines for Preservers constitute the major sections. It introduced in detail the core elements of a digital record and the methods employed by the project to elicit them. An application example, one of the IP 2 case studies, Vanmap, was also presented for the purpose of illustration.

Professor Huiling FENG, Vice President of RUC, Dean of SIRM, and the consultant of InterPARES 3 Team China warmly welcomed Sherry L. XIE. She expressed her great appreciation to Sherry’s wonderful lecture and emphasized the significance of China’s participation in IP 3. Participants of the lecture included members of the IP3 China team, professors, graduate students of SIRM and the managers of a software company who are interested in InterPARES and digital records management. Participants actively discussed the COP Model, research methodology, the different comprehensions of authenticity in China and abroad, the analysis of functional requirements, the development of standards and so on. They also exchanged ideas enthusiastically on the goal, research design and team works of IP3 Team China, and how to think globally and act locally.

The participants of the lecture expressed that they had benefited a lot from the intensive and informative lecture and discussion. Sherry L. XIE also expressed her appreciation and best wishes to the IP3 Team China.

(by Han YE from SIRM/RUC)