November 19 – The Pan-Canadian Consortium on Admissions & Transfer (PCCAT) and the Groningen Declaration Network (The GDN Network) are proud to announce the signing of a partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), solidifying a commitment to foster global cooperation on learner mobility, secure digital student data management, and best practices in digitization within higher education.
“PCCAT’s collaborative role across Canada – connecting institutions, transfer organizations, and other stakeholders to facilitate policies and practices for learner mobility and transfer credit – is directly aligned with the GDN Network’s vision for collaboration,” said Ann Marie Lyseng, Chair of PCCAT. “PCCAT is excited to be a jurisdictional partner with the GDN Network, supporting collaboration between and across networks in Canada and with the GDN Network. We see the strength we can have together to help connect and work with our partners across Canada to achieve shared goals for cross-jurisdictional collaboration, including support for potential interoperability through open architectures, standards, and approaches for digital solutions for learner mobility and pathways access. PCCAT looks forward to being a part of the GDN “Network of Networks” and forging innovative pathways together for learner mobility.”
The GDN Network is a global community of education institutions, government entities, industry partners, and digital credentialing experts dedicated to creating secure, citizen-centered methods for digital student data consultation and portability. By advancing open standards, interoperability, and best practices, the GDN Network supports cross-sector, cross-border solutions that enhance student mobility and professional access worldwide.
“The GDN Network has a long and enduring history inspiring transformational change for national and international learner mobility,” said Joanne Duklas, Executive Director of the GDN Network. “We are excited to work with PCCAT to further the recognition and mobility support for learners, and Canadian governments and education institutions with additional digital and policy innovations. We see significant complementarity between the GDN and the work of PCCAT which was equally instrumental in shaping the national network in Canada along with other individuals and associations like ARUCC, CUCCIO, and CanPESC.”
“The important work PCCAT does in Canada to advance national mobility is complemented by the work of the provincial organizations’ support of transfer learners,” said Charmaine Hack, GDN Board Member and Vice President, Global Strategy, Marketing and Enrolment at Centennial College. “We are excited to work with them through the international GDN Network to further learner recognition and mobility policy, research, and digital transfer. GDN’s international network of exemplar thought leaders alongside PCCAT’s diverse community represent the next generation of innovators seeking to achieve seamless recognition and transfer so we have much more to do together to help learners.”
This partnership is built on a strong alignment between PCCAT’s goal, objectives, and functions and the GDN Network’s commitment to secure and accessible digital credentials. PCCAT’s focus on advancing learner mobility within Canada through robust articulation and transfer policies and practices complements GDN’s global efforts to streamline educational transitions and empower learners. By collaborating, both organizations aim to deepen cross-jurisdictional understanding and share insights into digitization opportunities and best practices worldwide. This partnership will drive progress toward a “Network of Networks” for digital credentials and data portability that prioritizes learner-centric solutions, respects privacy and local autonomy, and fosters interoperability through open standards and innovative digital architecture. Through this cooperation, PCCAT and GDN will enhance international collaboration, sparking innovation in higher education pathways that enable smoother learner mobility and promote transparent admissions and credit recognition processes. By cultivating a globally connected academic community, the partnership will help advance education access and support international efforts to empower students, improve social mobility, and strive to meet the evolving academic and professional needs of learners worldwide.
About PCCAT
The Pan-Canadian Consortium on Admissions & Transfer (PCCAT) is a national not-for-profit organization in Canada that facilitates the implementation of policies and practices that support learner mobility and transfer credit across Canada. PCCAT achieves this goal through collaboration, connecting institutions, transfer organizations, and stakeholders dedicated to advancing learner mobility in Canada. Through collaborative research, knowledge sharing, and policy support, PCCAT helps develop and connect jurisdictional tools and effective practices that enhance institutional and organizational capacity for learner pathways and mobility. By promoting the recognition of learner mobility and transfer credit nationwide, PCCAT works to improve learner access to pathways in post-secondary education, supporting a more connected and accessible education system across Canada. Learn more about PCCAT at pccat.ca.
About The GDN Network
The Groningen Declaration Network (The GDN Network) is an international, non-profit federated trust located in the Netherlands. It represents a voluntary network of like-minded organizations and individuals that seek to make digital student data portability happen. Its network of thought leaders from around the globe are collaborators who seek to support, advise, and offer innovative changes in the ways we share artifacts of academic learning. The GDN Network seeks common ground in best serving the academic and professional mobility needs of citizens worldwide by bringing together stakeholders in the digital student data ecosystem. It seeks to develop and support best practices and globally accepted standards for safe and citizen-oriented convenings and information exchanges. Learn more about the GDN Network at: groningendeclaration.org.
Media Contacts:
Carley McDougall, Manitoba Director and Communications Lead, PCCAT, McDougallC@CampusManitoba.CA
Maya Hardy, Outreach Lead, GDN Network, outreach@groningendeclaration.org
