At the heart of the European Digital Education Hub, a new Workgroup of more than 110 higher education digital professionals and interoperability experts embarked on an exciting mission to develop a European HE Interoperability Framework. With their joint expertise, the experts will work together to facilitate learning, studying, and working across Europe. 

Why do we need a European HE Interoperability Framework? 

Despite efforts to promote interoperability at European and national level, achieving unhindered exchange of data and content across interuniversity campuses remains a major challenge and a clear way forward is still lacking. By developing the Framework, the Workgroup aims to foster greater collaboration and connectivity among our HE institutions by providing them with a practical toolkit to ensure interoperable virtual learning environments.  

Given the pivotal role interoperability plays in fostering a digital education ecosystem, developing the Framework is one of the European Commission's key actions within the Digital Education Action Plan. In line with the idea of a bottom-up approach, the Hub was identified as the ideal space to develop the Framework. 

What will happen in the upcoming weeks? 

Officially launched on December 4, the Workgroup will identify the needs and requirements for interoperability in higher education based on the experience of the European Universities alliances. Within nine so-called "use case squads", the group will map use cases and user journeys and design a reference architecture for the Framework.  

Learn more and join the Workgroup! 

If you are interested in the Workgroup’s vision and guiding principles, you are welcome to have a look at the Workgroup’s jointly drafted Manifesto. This vision paper is the starting point of the endeavour, laying down the ideas and plans of the Workgroup for the road ahead. 

The document is still a draft, and everyone with an interest in achieving interoperability in Higher Education is invited to contribute to the Manifesto and Framework by joining the HE Interoperability Workgroup.