Newsletter 1/2022

Greetings from the baseline study publication seminar!

Thank you for all the participants from Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Åland for the fruitful discussion on student data exchange and baseline study findings! Here is a brief summary on the topics that were discussed and introduced in the baseline publication seminar at the end of November and the beginning of December 2021.

According to the baseline study findings, there are currently several challenges in cross-border data interoperability and access related to cross-border exchange of study records. First, the shared vision and resource allocation for starting the process of implementing solutions that enable automated, digital transfer of study records between Nordic and Baltic countries varies significantly between the countries. The countries have different capabilities and resources for such a project. Furthermore, legislation must be adjusted to enable the transfer of study records in terms of data privacy and ownership.

However, EMREX - a best practice on student data exchange, was introduced to the participant group by Max Laihonen from CSC – IT Center for Science. EMREX is a decentralized system used for transferring study credits internationally. There was also discussion about the future development on EMREX e.g. data converters and getting more participant countries into the EMREX network. Every new member country added to EMREX adds value to the system and the users.

In the round table discussion about barriers in student data exchange, it stood out clearly that the organizational barriers are the hardest to overcome and this project should focus on those barriers. The participants also reminded that usually the technical barriers can be resolved without any major problems. Technical solutions come and go.

Expectations for future collaboration (tähän Riikalta materiaali?)

There are more related material for the interested on the right column of this page. See also the picture below that captures nicely the two-day workshop. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or comments.

Project Manager Riikka Rissanen and Adviser Petteri Pulli

Baseline Study Publication Seminar and Workshop

• Baseline Study
• Workshop Material (pdf)
• Seminar for national experts in Espoo (Helsinki), Finland 30th November – 1st December 2021 | Baseline Study Report Publication - World’s Smoothest Cross-Border Mobility and Daily Life Through Digitalisation
• Recording: Opening session of the baseline study publication seminar

External links

• Project Introduction
• Finland to promote digitalisation during its 2021 Presidency of Nordic Council of Ministers
• Finnish National Agency for Education promotes the mobility of students’ achievement records in the Nordic and Baltic countries
• Webinar: Ways of electronically sharing student data (44:50 →)
• European Interoperability Framework (EIF): legal, organisational, semantic, and technical interoperability
• EMREX