diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilder.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilder.java
index cb65604a2626..c08566dc5b0a 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilder.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilder.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 import static org.dspace.content.Item.ANY;
 import static org.dspace.content.MetadataSchemaEnum.CRIS;
+import static org.dspace.content.authority.Choices.CF_UNSET;
 import static org.dspace.content.service.DSpaceObjectService.MD_COPYRIGHT_TEXT;
 import static org.dspace.content.service.DSpaceObjectService.MD_INTRODUCTORY_TEXT;
 import static org.dspace.content.service.DSpaceObjectService.MD_LICENSE;
@@ -49,12 +50,14 @@
 import org.dspace.content.Collection;
 import org.dspace.content.Community;
 import org.dspace.content.Item;
+import org.dspace.content.MetadataField;
 import org.dspace.content.MetadataFieldName;
 import org.dspace.content.MetadataSchemaEnum;
 import org.dspace.content.MetadataValue;
 import org.dspace.content.factory.ContentServiceFactory;
 import org.dspace.content.service.CollectionService;
 import org.dspace.content.service.CommunityService;
+import org.dspace.content.service.ItemService;
 import org.dspace.core.Context;
 import org.dspace.core.CrisConstants;
 import org.dspace.eperson.factory.EPersonServiceFactory;
@@ -122,7 +125,8 @@ public class StructBuilder {
             = EPersonServiceFactory.getInstance().getEPersonService();
     protected static final HandleService handleService
             = HandleServiceFactory.getInstance().getHandleService();
-
+    protected static final ItemService itemService
+        = ContentServiceFactory.getInstance().getItemService();
     /**
      * Default constructor
      */
@@ -407,6 +411,9 @@ private static Element exportACollection(Collection collection) {
         Element element = new Element("collection");
         element.setAttribute("identifier", collection.getHandle());
         element.addContent(new Element("name").setText(collection.getName()));
+
+        buildTemplateItem(collection, element);
+
         element.addContent(new Element("description")
                 .setText(collectionService.getMetadataFirstValue(collection,
                         MetadataSchemaEnum.DC.getName(), "description", "abstract", Item.ANY)));
@@ -833,6 +840,8 @@ private static Element[] handleCollections(Context context,
             collectionService.setMetadataSingleValue(context, collection,
                     MD_SHORT_DESCRIPTION, Item.ANY, " ");
 
+            handleTemplateItem(context, collection, tn);
+
             // import the rest of the metadata
             for (Map.Entry<String, MetadataFieldName> entry : collectionMap.entrySet()) {
                 NodeList nl = (NodeList) xPath.compile(entry.getKey()).evaluate(tn, XPathConstants.NODESET);
@@ -854,6 +863,8 @@ private static Element[] handleCollections(Context context,
 
             String fieldValue;
 
+            buildTemplateItem(collection, element);
+
             fieldValue = collectionService.getMetadataFirstValue(collection,
                     CollectionService.MD_SHORT_DESCRIPTION, Item.ANY);
             if (fieldValue != null) {
@@ -930,4 +941,93 @@ private static Element[] handleCollections(Context context,
 
         return elements;
     }
+
+    private static void handleTemplateItem(Context context, Collection collection, Node tn)
+        throws XPathExpressionException, SQLException, AuthorizeException {
+
+        XPath xPath = XPathFactory.newInstance().newXPath();
+        Node node = (Node) xPath.compile("templateItem").evaluate(tn, XPathConstants.NODE);
+
+        if (node == null) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Item templateItem = itemService.createTemplateItem(context, collection);
+
+        NodeList metadataNodes = (NodeList) xPath.compile("metadata").evaluate(node, XPathConstants.NODESET);
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < metadataNodes.getLength(); i++) {
+            Node metadataNode = metadataNodes.item(i);
+            MetadataFieldName metadataFieldName = buildMetadataFieldName(metadataNode);
+
+            Node valueAttribute = (Node) xPath.compile("value").evaluate(metadataNode, XPathConstants.NODE);
+            Node authorityAttribute = (Node) xPath.compile("authority").evaluate(metadataNode, XPathConstants.NODE);
+            Node confidenceAttribute = (Node) xPath.compile("confidence").evaluate(metadataNode, XPathConstants.NODE);
+
+            String authority = null;
+            int confidence = CF_UNSET;
+
+            if (authorityAttribute != null) {
+                authority = authorityAttribute.getTextContent();
+                confidence = confidenceAttribute != null ? Integer.parseInt(confidenceAttribute.getTextContent()) : 600;
+            }
+
+            itemService.addMetadata(context, templateItem, metadataFieldName.schema, metadataFieldName.element,
+                metadataFieldName.qualifier, ANY, valueAttribute.getTextContent(), authority, confidence);
+            itemService.update(context, templateItem);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static MetadataFieldName buildMetadataFieldName(Node node) {
+        Node schemaAttribute = node.getAttributes().getNamedItem("schema");
+        Node elementAttribute = node.getAttributes().getNamedItem("element");
+        Node qualifierAttribute = node.getAttributes().getNamedItem("qualifier");
+
+        if (qualifierAttribute == null) {
+            return new MetadataFieldName(schemaAttribute.getTextContent(), elementAttribute.getTextContent());
+        } else {
+            return new MetadataFieldName(schemaAttribute.getTextContent(),
+                elementAttribute.getTextContent(), qualifierAttribute.getTextContent());
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void buildTemplateItem(Collection collection, Element element) {
+
+        try {
+            Item templateItem = collection.getTemplateItem();
+
+            if (templateItem == null) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            Element templateItemElement = new Element("templateItem");
+
+            for (MetadataValue metadataValue : templateItem.getMetadata()) {
+                MetadataField metadataField = metadataValue.getMetadataField();
+                Element metadata = new Element("metadata");
+                metadata.setAttribute("schema", metadataField.getMetadataSchema().getName());
+                metadata.setAttribute("element", metadataField.getElement());
+
+                if (metadataField.getQualifier() != null) {
+                    metadata.setAttribute("qualifier", metadataField.getQualifier());
+                }
+
+                metadata.addContent(new Element("value").setText(metadataValue.getValue()));
+
+                if (metadataValue.getAuthority() != null) {
+                    metadata.addContent(new Element("authority").setText(metadataValue.getAuthority()));
+                    metadata.addContent(new Element("confidence").setText(
+                        String.valueOf(metadataValue.getConfidence())
+                    ));
+                }
+
+                templateItemElement.addContent(metadata);
+            }
+
+            element.addContent(templateItemElement);
+        } catch (SQLException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilderIT.java b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilderIT.java
index a113aa0438dd..e69fc85b4970 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilderIT.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/administer/StructBuilderIT.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.Iterator;
+import java.util.UUID;
 import javax.xml.parsers.ParserConfigurationException;
 import javax.xml.transform.Source;
 import javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamSource;
@@ -27,10 +28,12 @@
 import org.dspace.authorize.AuthorizeException;
 import org.dspace.content.Collection;
 import org.dspace.content.Community;
+import org.dspace.content.Item;
 import org.dspace.content.MetadataSchemaEnum;
 import org.dspace.content.factory.ContentServiceFactory;
 import org.dspace.content.service.CollectionService;
 import org.dspace.content.service.CommunityService;
+import org.dspace.content.service.ItemService;
 import org.dspace.handle.Handle;
 import org.junit.AfterClass;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -61,6 +64,8 @@ public class StructBuilderIT
             = ContentServiceFactory.getInstance().getCommunityService();
     private static final CollectionService collectionService
             = ContentServiceFactory.getInstance().getCollectionService();
+    private static final ItemService itemService
+        = ContentServiceFactory.getInstance().getItemService();
 
     public StructBuilderIT() {
     }
@@ -114,6 +119,21 @@ public void setUp() throws SQLException, AuthorizeException, IOException {
             "      <sidebar>Another sidebar</sidebar>\n" +
             "      <collection identifier='" + COLLECTION_0_0_0_HANDLE + "'>\n" +
             "        <name>Collection 0.0.0</name>\n" +
+            "        <templateItem>\n" +
+            "            <metadata schema='dc' element='title'>\n" +
+            "                <value>template item</value>\n" +
+            "            </metadata>\n" +
+            "            <metadata schema='dc' element='contributor' qualifier='author'>\n" +
+            "                <value>Walter White</value>\n" +
+            "                <authority>" + UUID.randomUUID() + "</authority>\n" +
+            "                <confidence>600</confidence>\n" +
+            "            </metadata>\n" +
+            "            <metadata schema='dc' element='contributor' qualifier='author'>\n" +
+            "                <value>Donald, Smith</value>\n" +
+            "                <authority>" + UUID.randomUUID() + "</authority>\n" +
+            "                <confidence>400</confidence>\n" +
+            "            </metadata>\n" +
+            "        </templateItem>\n" +
             "        <description>A collection</description>\n" +
             "        <intro>Our next guest needs no introduction</intro>\n" +
             "        <copyright>1776</copyright>\n" +
@@ -149,6 +169,11 @@ public void setUp() throws SQLException, AuthorizeException, IOException {
             "    <description/><intro/><copyright/><sidebar/>\n" +
             "    <collection>\n" +
             "      <name>Collection 0.0</name>\n" +
+            "      <templateItem>\n" +
+            "          <metadata schema='dc' element='title'>\n" +
+            "              <value>template item</value>\n" +
+            "          </metadata>\n" +
+            "      </templateItem>\n" +
             "      <description/><intro/><copyright/><sidebar/><license/>\n" +
             "    </collection>\n" +
             "  </community>\n" +
@@ -301,6 +326,10 @@ public void testExportStructure()
                 MetadataSchemaEnum.DC.getName(), "title", null,
                 null, "Collection 0.0");
 
+        Item item = itemService.createTemplateItem(context, collection0_0);
+        itemService.addMetadata(context, item, MetadataSchemaEnum.DC.getName(), "title", null,
+            Item.ANY, "template item", null, -1);
+
         // Export the current structure.
         System.out.println("exportStructure");
         ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
diff --git a/dspace/config/sample-structure.xml b/dspace/config/sample-structure.xml
index 89c577bdcfa6..bde920dea384 100644
--- a/dspace/config/sample-structure.xml
+++ b/dspace/config/sample-structure.xml
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@
 			<name>Person</name>
 			<entity-type>Person</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>person</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
 			<description />
 			<intro />
 			<copyright />
@@ -21,6 +28,13 @@
             <name>Project</name>
             <entity-type>Project</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>project</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -32,6 +46,13 @@
             <name>Funding</name>
             <entity-type>Funding</entity-type>
             <submission-type>funding</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -43,6 +64,13 @@
             <name>OrgUnit</name>
             <entity-type>OrgUnit</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>orgunit</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -54,6 +82,13 @@
             <name>Journal</name>
             <entity-type>Journal</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>journal</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -65,6 +100,13 @@
             <name>Publication</name>
             <entity-type>Publication</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>publication</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -76,6 +118,13 @@
             <name>Patent</name>
             <entity-type>Patent</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>patent</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -86,6 +135,13 @@
         <collection>
             <name>Dataset or other products</name>
             <entity-type>Product</entity-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -97,6 +153,13 @@
             <name>Event</name>
             <entity-type>Event</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>event</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />
@@ -108,6 +171,13 @@
             <name>Equipment</name>
             <entity-type>Equipment</entity-type>
 			<submission-type>equipment</submission-type>
+<!--            <templateItem>-->
+<!--                <metadata schema="schema" element="element" qualifier="qualifier">-->
+<!--                    <value></value>-->
+<!--                    <authority></authority>-->
+<!--                    <confidence></confidence>-->
+<!--                </metadata>-->
+<!--            </templateItem>-->
             <description />
             <intro />
             <copyright />