The global organizations share the goal of empowering learners with learning and career data
LAKE MARY, Florida, July 23, 2024 — Today, global nonprofits 1EdTech® and Velocity Network Foundation announced a new partnership to expand the use of verifiable digital credentials worldwide.
The two organizations bring an international view of digital credentials, empowering learners with the ability to own their learning and career data. Both communities are committed to supporting each other’s work through the partnership. 1EdTech will join the Velocity Network Foundation (VNF) Advisory Board, and VNF will undergo the 1EdTech certification process for Open Badges and the Comprehensive Learner Record Standard™ (CLR).
In addition to evolving and certifying interoperability standards for digital credentials, the 1EdTech community also works to expand their use through collaborations, including the TrustEd Microcredential Coalition and the Wellspring Initiative.
Velocity Network Foundation and its Members provide and govern a free, open, decentralized utility layer called Velocity Network™, which aims to empower individuals to have agency over their verifiable education and career information. The Network and its protocols enable individuals to claim and stack career and education credentials, store them privately on digital wallets, and share them with prospective employers and other relying parties—reducing the time and cost of hiring. The credentials are issued to the individuals by schools, former employers, and credentialing or licensing organizations and are tamper-proof and cryptographically secured.
“The combined leadership of our two organizations will expand awareness and availability of verifiable and interoperable digital credentials worldwide,” said Mark Leuba, 1EdTech Vice President. “We are excited to work with Velocity Network Foundation, an organization that shares our vision of helping learners leverage their knowledge, skills and experiences to achieve success throughout their lives.”
“We’re excited to solidify our partnership with 1EdTech and have this important organization join our Advisory Board,” said Dror Gurevich, Velocity Network Foundation CEO. “Combined with the Velocity Network Foundation’s infrastructure and governance model, the open standards and governance expertise of the 1EdTech team will be tremendously valuable for encouraging adoption and growing the impact of digital credentials.”
As a partner, Velocity Network Foundation will participate in 1EdTech’s 2024 Learning Impact Europe Conference in Barcelona, October 9-11, 2024. To learn more and to register, click here.
About 1EdTech
1EdTech is a member-based non-profit community partnership of leading education providers at all levels, government organizations, and edtech suppliers who collaborate to accelerate an open, trusted, and innovative digital learning ecosystem. We power learner potential by creating the foundation for a learner-centered and future-ready ecosystem where products work together to improve teaching and learning for all.
1EdTech hosts the annual Learning Impact Conference, Digital Credentials Summit, and other engagement opportunities to advance the leadership and ideas shaping the future of learning. The 1EdTech Foundation, an affiliated public charity, uses philanthropic funds to support 1EdTech's vision. Visit our website at 1edtech.org.
About Velocity Network Foundation
Velocity Network Foundation® is a non-profit membership organization hosting the leading workforce-tech and ed-tech vendors and solution providers, as well as NGOs, government, and industry associations representing major labor market stakeholders. Together, Velocity Network Foundation’s Members work to combat the challenges and inefficiencies of hiring people based on what they say themselves about their skills, identity, education, and work Credentials.
Velocity Network Foundation provides a game-changing, decentralized utility layer called Velocity Network™, which aims to empower individuals to have agency over their verifiable education and career information, replacing the outdated, fragmented way talent represents their career reputation across the labor market. The Network and its protocols enable individuals to claim and stack career and education credentials, store them privately on digital wallets, and share them with prospective employers and other relying parties – reducing the time and cost of hiring. The credentials are issued to the individuals by schools, former employers, and credentialing or licensing organizations and are tamper-proof and cryptographically secured, hence trusted by the relying parties.
The Network is a free, publicly-available utility built on open-source tech and protocols. It is governed by Velocity Network Foundation®, enabling inclusive, decentralized governance. Dozens of the largest ed-tech and workforce-tech vendors and solution providers are already engaged in deploying solutions on top of Velocity Network™. Combined, these organizations process career-related data for more than 1 billion individuals. Learn more at https://www.velocitynetwork.foundation/.