National strategy for digital records: Comparing the approaches of Canada and China

► First study of its kind in the field of digital records management internationally. ► The subject area compared represents the latest development in the two countries. ► Both strategies recognize the shortage of qualified professionals. ► Academic input differentiates the strategies in development. ► Professional dedication differentiates the strategies in associated work model. This paper compares the Canadian and Chinese national strategies for digital records by the aspects of the term national, the status of digital records and their management, and the key features of the newly developed strategies of the two countries. By doing so, it aims at revealing best practices and/or lessons learned that are instructive to a wider information community for application and adaptation, irrespective of the existence of certain political and administrative differences. The comparison revealed one similarity that both countries recognize the lack of qualified professionals for discharging the duties of managing digital records, yet a number of distinctions in areas such as records focus, relationships between the development of the strategies and academic input, dedication of records management, and the role of national archives. It concludes that there are areas about which the countries can learn from each other, which applies in particular to Canada.