The Future of Data Interoperability in Education

Education’s shift to a digital-first landscape has created an ecosystem of abundant, but ultimately disjointed, data. Students’ credentials, whether degrees, certifications, or skills, are often stuck in systems that don’t work together, even within the same school or between schools.

This lack of interoperability creates barriers for students trying to transition between education and employment; for institutions trying to track learner progress; and for employers seeking a more holistic picture of potential hires.

As a leader in edtech consulting and an expert in interoperability, Unicon specializes in solving these challenges by developing scalable frameworks for seamless data exchange. Using our open-source, standards-based integration approach, we tailor these solutions for each institution to create a more equitable, connected future for learners and workers alike. Here’s why interoperability is so important to the future of education.

The challenges and stakes of tech interoperability in education

Most institutions recognize the need for better data sharing but face significant challenges such as:

1. Inefficiencies and higher costs: Institutions spend significant resources on manually reconciling student records, transferring credits, and working across disparate systems. This results in delays, errors, and higher costs in a field already operating on tight budgets.
2. Fragmented systems: Every institution and organization relies on different platforms that may not easily integrate, making it difficult to track an individual’s progress, records, credentials, and achievements across multiple learning experiences
3. Equity gaps: Non-traditional learners like first-generation students, working adults, and underresourced populations struggle to meet certain requirements, gain knowledge and skills, and then prove their capabilities. Without effective data sharing, it’s harder for institutions to fully evaluate a student and build strategies for their specific needs.
4. Lack of industry standards: Without a universally accepted method of data exchange, there are significant hurdles in evaluating student records, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.

Interoperability is not just about solving a software problem—it’s about creating a connected, efficient, and equitable education ecosystem. With improved interoperability, everyone sees improvements including:

• Better student support: With more effective data sharing, institutions can get an individualized, complete picture of a student’s progress, challenges, strengths, and needs. This helps academic advisors provide specific advice, provide tailored early intervention strategies, and build more personalized learning experiences.
• Smoother transitions between institutions: Transferring credits between institutions is a notoriously laborious process, especially if students are returning to education later in life or choosing alternative learning pathways.  In fact, there’s a 97% credit loss from a 2-year private institution to a 2-year public institution. Interoperable systems ensure that credits, coursework, and prior learning experiences transfer seamlessly and quickly without manual intervention or lost records.
• Easier transitions from education to employment: Employers are increasingly seeking candidates with demonstrable skills, not just formal degrees. Interoperability enables institutions and employers to align experiences, skills, and education with industry needs. This makes education more relevant to career success and helps those on alternative paths find better employment faster.
• Data-informed decision-making: Empowering administrators and educators to analyze trends across student performance, retention, and engagement will help them make informed decisions about curriculum design, student support, and institutional policies.
• Improved cost and efficiency: By reducing administrative burdens and streamlining processes interoperable systems allow educational staff to focus on student success, not data management.

How Unicon builds innovative solutions to enable interoperability

Unicon has decades of experience in education technology and exclusively works with educational institutions to implement solutions that solve the industry’s most pressing challenges. We are as familiar with cutting-edge educational technology as we are with industry standards and challenges. Here’s how Unicon is uniquely suited to and experienced in interoperability. 

Expertise in open standards and frameworks

Our development teams are so well-versed in standards like Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI),  Open Badges / Comprehensive Learner Record Standard (CLR), and the Ed-Fi Data Standard that where other teams may struggle just getting basic interoperability “plumbing” working, we’re able to focus on the student-impacting problems our customers are actually trying to solve. We consider expertise in these standards and frameworks a baseline requirement for our teams ,as they are so critical to creating smooth communication and a shared language across institutions.

Decades of building customizable, cost-efficient solutions

Institutions simply cannot afford models and platforms with high operational costs. That’s just one reason Unicon is an expert in using open-source software to build apps, platforms, and identity and access management tools.

Innovation in institutional collaboration

Unicon works with some of the biggest educational institutions and education-focused non-profits to build models and platforms that specifically facilitate collaboration. Our projects often focus on helping institutions share data with employers to help learners find employment or transition from one institution to another.

Experience in and comfort with AI

We love working with institutions that leverage AI-driven systems—or need us to help them build their own. By creating AI-integrated solutions that streamline administrative tasks, personalize student advising, and enhance learning experiences, Unicon operates on the forefront of cutting-edge technology that is transforming the possibilities in education.

The future of education is interconnected, data-informed, and student-focused.

By breaking down data silos and embracing interoperability, institutions will improve student outcomes, streamline operations, and enable equity. Unicon is at the forefront of this transformation by helping K-20 institutions and non-profits future-proof their technology ecosystems.

To learn more about the personalized solutions we can implement for your institution’s interoperability needs, please contact us to speak with one of our experts.