As European education grows more connected, the success of collaboration among institutions hinges on a deceptively simple but powerful concept: technical interoperability. 

Without it, partnerships stall under the weight of custom integrations, incompatible systems, and fragmented learner data. With it, we gain a pathway toward shared digital infrastructure, smarter ecosystems, and most importantly, learner-centered innovation.

The promise of cross-border alliances and multi-institutional programs can only be realised if systems speak the same language. That’s where open, flexible, and globally aligned standards come in. I see them making a difference every day with our partners across Europe, using interoperability as the foundation of sustainable collaboration.

When all systems speak the same language

Take Ladok, Sweden’s nationwide student information system (SIS) for higher education. Faced with the challenge of integrating with a growing array of educational tools, Ladok turned to open standards to avoid the trap of vendor lock-in and unnecessary complexity.

“We started with our own system, and we had the ‘Ladok’ way of communicating”, explained Mauritz Danielsson, CEO of Ladok. “But by doing that, we locked in not only the universities but also the different systems they used”.

“If you only work with people in one country, you have one mindset, but if you work with people from other countries, you end up with a better standard for everyone”.

By co-developing the Edu-API™ standard with 1EdTech Consortium’s community, Ladok ensured that its data can flow reliably between teaching, learning, and administrative platforms.

It’s a clear example of how standards don’t limit flexibility; they enable it.

Flexibility to meet local needs

For the SaNS Expertiscentrum (Expertise Center), which manages student information systems (SIS) for several Dutch higher education institutions, interoperability standards are essential for enabling real-time data exchange between administrative and teaching systems.

By eliminating the need for custom integrations with every tool or platform, these standards save time, reduce complexity, and lower the barriers for institutions to adopt the technologies they need more quickly and at scale. This, in turn, opens the door to broader collaboration across institutions and borders.

“What makes a standard globally applicable isn’t just the technical framework, it’s the semantics”, said Hans Janssen, Project Manager at SaNS Expertiscentrum. “You need a shared understanding of key data objects, like student names or course enrollments. Different countries interpret and use this data differently, so a global standard must be flexible enough to account for those variations. That’s what makes it usable worldwide”.

When open standards are highly configurable, institutions and vendors can map, filter, and adapt data to meet local needs, without losing interoperability. This flexibility supports institutional autonomy, simplifies tool integration, and ultimately accelerates the development of a global, learner-centered education ecosystem.

From national networks to continental alliances

At Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, interoperability plays a pivotal role in scaling national systems to support European alliances like EPICUR. Their ambition is to let students enroll across institutions with different platforms, languages, and practices, without creating a web of manual processes or duplicate data.

“We’ve spent years building our internal systems. Now we’re connecting them to Europe, and eventually the world”, said Thrasyvoulos-Konstantinos Tsiatsos, Director of the Software and Interactive Technologies Lab and Member of the Digital Governance Committee of Aristotle University.

Using standards like OneRoster® and moving toward Edu-API™, Aristotle University is showing how interoperability allows systems to connect without sacrificing data security or control. It’s not just about efficiency, it’s about laying the groundwork for personalised, student-driven ecosystems that can adapt and grow.

Interoperability builds trust and resilience

Whether you're an edtech provider, policy maker, or university leader, one truth is clear: no single institution or nation can go it alone in the digital age. Sustainable partnerships require shared technical foundations that allow innovation to scale and systems to evolve, without being rebuilt from scratch each time.

Open and global interoperability standards:

• Eliminate redundant integrations
• Reduce vendor lock-in
• Improve data consistency and security
• Empower learners to move, grow, and succeed.

From Sweden to the Netherlands to Greece, leading institutions are demonstrating how interoperability isn’t just a technical concern. It’s a strategic priority for any institution that wants to thrive in a collaborative, connected, and student-centered future.

Building that future together

The road to seamless collaboration starts with open dialogue and shared commitment. I’m honored to work on collaborations between innovators, educators, and technologists from across the continent to co-create the standards and practices that will shape the next generation of European education.

It’s time to move beyond siloed systems. Let’s build bridges with standards that work for us all.

About the Author

Dr Gill Ferrell supports the 1EdTech Europe member community as Executive Director of 1EdTech Europe. In a career spanning over 30 years, she has managed the implementation of administrative IT systems in higher education and led research and edtech projects in areas such as assessment, learning design, course management, learner records, and learning analytics. She directed a UK-wide support service for Jisc, providing advice, guidance, and training in ICT for further and higher education providers in the UK. As an independent consultant, she has been involved in projects of national significance. For almost 20 years, she has volunteered with EUNIS fostering knowledge exchange and developing communities of practice across European Higher Education. Gill was also a member of the Ahead by Bett advisory board.