Berlin, 19. December 2019 –The EU has set itself the target of completely digitalising the administration of academic exchange programmes between European universities by 2025. The EU-subsidised partnership project StudIES+, managed by Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG (FP), is contributing to setting the stage for this within Germany. The project is being supported by the implementation of the German Online Access Act (OZG). Similar digitalisation targets have been set for around 600 important administrative processes. These also include numerous processes within educational systems, particularly for schools and universities.
Notarisation platform allows digital certification of documents
The Freie Universität Berlin and the Harz University of Applied Sciences have supported the StudIES+ project as partners, and developed secure digital solutions for electronic identities and signatures as set out in the European eIDAS Regulation. Both universities are currently trialling the digital student identity and secure electronic document sharing. The practical feasibility of extending the partnership to other universities across international borders is likewise being tested. The secure document sharing will be based, amongst other things, on technology from FP, the expert in secure communications. To this end, FP provides the essential eIDAS-compliant signature components for generating the electronic signatures.
In partnership with the Foundation for University Admissions in Dortmund, the Harz University of Applied Sciences has developed an electronic notarisation platform called eNotar. It is used for secure document sharing and the certification of documents. In addition, the Harz University of Applied Sciences has successfully linked the eNotar platform with the European EMREX network for the data security-compliant, owner-initiated sharing of graduate data such as certificates, particularly for applications to universities and for employers within the EU. Its partner here was the responsible pan-European authority UNIT, from Norway. Furthermore, the Harz University of Applied Sciences has introduced the solution to the ongoing discussion between Germany’s Federal government and individual states for the implementation of the OZG in Germany’s education system.
“The eNotar platform developed within the framework of the StudIES+ project can also be used within the education system in Germany, as well as in general administration, for digital certifications based on eIDAS. The need to go to the town hall to get paper copies certified is thus eliminated. We are delighted to have made a constructive contribution to greater digital independence in Germany and Europe,” explains project manager Dr Hermann Strack from netlab at the Harz University of Applied Sciences.
Project financing through CEF support programme
The project is being partly funded by the “Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014-2020 TELECOM Call 2017” programme of the European Union (EU), with co-financing from the state of Saxony-Anhalt (MW). The CEF support programme aims to support companies and public institutions in pressing ahead with the digitalisation of Europe by developing joint solutions. A presentation of the results will be held upon project completion at the end of 2019.
More information about the “StudIES+” project is available at studies-plus.eu.
LinkedIn