
EBSI and Verifiable Credentialing in Canada.


Coach Name
Marc Sanso
EU Organization
3CL Foundation Malta
Members
- Alex Grech
- Klaudia Farkas
CA Organization
ARUCC MyCreds
Members
Project Overview
The EBSI-CAN project, titled “EBSI and Verifiable Credentialing in Canada”, focused on evaluating the feasibility and potential of using the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) within the Canadian educational credentialing landscape. This collaboration aimed to assess how digital credentials could be seamlessly exchanged and verified between the EU and Canada, contributing to a secure and interoperable credential ecosystem that facilitates cross-border recognition and mobility.
The project stemmed from the collaboration initiated in 2020 between the Government of Canada and the European Commission. Through workshops and consultations, the initiative sought to identify areas where existing technological and policy frameworks overlap or diverge to promote interoperability and mutual support for digital credentialing systems.
Methods and approaches
Stakeholder-Driven Qualitative Research:
The project team conducted extensive qualitative research by engaging key stakeholders (educational institutions, policymakers, EdTech companies, and credential-issuing organizations) through interviews, group discussions, and workshops. In total, 45 interviews and multiple events were organized to gather insights, validate assumptions, and understand the real-world needs and concerns around digital credentialing systems.
User Journey Scenario Development:
Four detailed user journey scenarios were created to model the practical application of EBSI-based solutions. These scenarios helped stakeholders visualize how digital credentials could be issued, verified, and transferred across borders, identifying pain points and showcasing potential improvements to current processes.
Iterative Feasibility and Interoperability Analysis:
The project employed an iterative approach to assessing the feasibility of using European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) in the Canadian context. This involved examining governance, legal, semantic, and technical interoperability requirements. The iterative nature allowed the team to refine their findings, adjust their strategies, and ensure that the proposed solutions addressed identified challenges effectively.
Strategic Recommendations and Roadmap Development:
Building on insights from research, stakeholder engagement, and scenario testing, the project produced a set of strategic recommendations and a roadmap. These outlined how to overcome regulatory hurdles, adopt internationally recognized standards, and implement scalable, interoperable blockchain-based credentialing systems—providing actionable guidance for future pilot projects and broader ecosystem alignment.
Key Achievements
Feasibility Assessment & Actionable Insights:
Conducted comprehensive research that provided a clear understanding of the feasibility of using the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) in Canada’s credentialing ecosystem, identifying both the potential benefits and existing challenges.
Roadmap for Integration:
Developed a clear roadmap to guide the integration of EBSI into Canada’s credentialing systems, offering strategic recommendations for overcoming regulatory barriers, improving standards alignment, and ensuring interoperability.
Identification of Critical Challenges and Solutions:
Pinpointed key challenges—including navigating diverse regulatory environments, addressing data privacy concerns, and ensuring scalability—and formulated targeted solutions and best practices to resolve these issues.
Pilot and Working Group Proposals:
Proposed the launch of a pilot project in British Columbia leveraging EUROPEUM and recommended the creation of a formal EU-Canada working group. This group would harmonize trust frameworks, legal standards, and technical protocols, ultimately supporting broader adoption and long-term sustainability.
Strengthening International Collaboration:
Emphasized internationally recognized standards and governance models, fostering deeper EU-Canada collaboration to support seamless, secure, and self-sovereign access to digital education credentials and paving the way for ongoing partnerships and innovation.
Impact & Results
Scientific Impact
Advanced the state of the art in blockchain-based credentialing systems by evaluating EBSI’s interoperability, scalability, and security.
Identified areas for enhancing trust, efficiency, and standardization in digital credential management frameworks.
Economic Impact
Demonstrated the potential of seamless credential portability to facilitate workforce mobility and reduce administrative burdens, ultimately leading to more efficient labor markets.
Showed how streamlined credential verification can create new business opportunities and improve the competitiveness of educational institutions.
Social Impact
Addressed barriers to educational mobility and credential recognition, contributing to greater inclusivity and equity for individuals seeking to validate their qualifications across borders.
Promoted improved access to and trust in digital credentials, potentially enhancing lifelong learning opportunities and social cohesion.
Publications and Open-Source Contributions
EBSI-CAN has contributed to various academic conferences and workshops, including:
- Embracing EBSI’s evolution into EUROPEUM
- Enhancing Digital Credential Exchange: Overcoming Interoperability Challenges in the EBSI-CAN Project
- Exploring Challenges and Insights in Digital Identity Adoption and Interoperability: Lessons from EU and Canada
- Navigating Adoption and Interoperability: Insights from the EBSI-CAN wallet providers meeting
- Advancing Cross-Border Credential Recognition: Insights from the EBSI-CAN Stakeholder Event
- Cross-Border Collaboration: EBSI-CAN Project explores Innovation in Educational Credential Verification
- NGI Forum 2023 Unveils Insights for EBSI-CAN Project: Advancing Digital Identity and Credentials

Future directions
EBSI-CAN aims to empower global credential mobility through shared standards and sustainable governance.
Pilot Initiatives in British Columbia:
Launching a pilot project leveraging EUROPEUM and the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDIW) in conjunction with Canada’s BC Wallet to address regulatory challenges and enhance credential portability and interoperability.
Scaling Micro-Credentials:
Expanding research and implementation efforts to include micro-credentialing, ensuring their recognition, standardization, and value across different regions and sectors.
EU-Canada Working Group Creation:
Establishing a formal EU-Canada working group to harmonize trust frameworks, legal standards, and technical protocols, fostering mutual recognition and seamless exchange of digital credentials.
Sustainable Funding and Governance:
Securing additional funding (e.g., through NGI Sargasso) and developing robust governance and stakeholder engagement models to ensure the long-term viability and scalability of EBSI-powered solutions.
Educational Resources and Training:
Providing comprehensive training programs, educational resources, and stakeholder impact assessments to build trust, increase adoption, and improve understanding of digital credential systems.