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"The OOAPI is basically a common language, allowing institutions to collaborate"
Future-proof progress: 4 questions on the Open Education API
Version 6 of the Open Education API (OOAPI) is out! What this means,and why it is especially important for institutions right now, is explained by three members of the new steering group that oversees this shared standard. “OOAPI ultimately saves you a lot of work.”
Jan-Willem Brock
The Open Education API is a standard that makes it possible to exchange education data between a wide range of digital systems, and therefore also between institutions. Think, for example, of standardised information about courses, timetables, exam grades and study credits. Such a standard is an absolute prerequisite for the flexible education that the Npuls programme is intended to realise.
According to Jan-Willem Brock from Leiden University, chair of the steering group, there is already a strong need for efficient and reliable data exchange. “There is hardly any student anymore who takes all their courses at the same institution. OOAPI is essentially a shared language, enabling institutions to collaborate.”
2. What's new in version 6 of OOAPI?
Over the past year, OOAPI has been significantly improved and expanded. Secondary vocational education (mbo) had a strong need for a standard for exchanging assessment data. This OKE extension to the OOAPI standard was tested in a large pilot programme and subsequently added to OOAPI in version 6.
Gertjan Flinterman
"As a mbo, we joined the OOAPI quite late," says Gertjan Flinterman of Deltion College.“But particularly in the area of assessment, there is a lot to be gained for us. In mbo we work with many examination providers. If they can all be connected using the same standard, that will save us an enormous amount of work and effort.”
At the same time, the standard as a whole has been further refined, adds his colleague René Schenk from Avans University of Applied Sciences. “You can see that more and more institutions are embracing OOAPI, not only in the Netherlands but also beyond. I found it very telling that the first review of version 6 came from Spain. And suppliers are also starting to include OOAPI integrations in their products.”
According to Gertjan, the standard is now so well thought through that it has become future-proof. “I think we will be able to move forward with version 6 for a very long time.”
3. What about governance?
According to René, the higher quality of OOAPI V6 is due to a step towards greater professionalism. “There was a working group for OOAPI, but it was never able to take real decisions. Patrick van der Veer from SURF has done an enormous amount to get effective governance off the ground.”
René Schenk
The steering group now has decision-making authority over the standard. A technical working group, led by Patrick, is responsible for the content, with people from educational institutions, suppliers and SURF. Where necessary, the working group sets up project groups. There is also an OOAPI community, where anyone with an interest in this standard can join the discussion. Jan-Willem says with satisfaction: “We now really have a very solid foundation.”
4. Why get started with OOAPI right now?
OOAPI makes it easier for institutions to exchange education data between different systems, not only within the institution itself, but also across institutional boundaries. This saves you work and prepares your institution to connect to the sector-wide services of the Npuls programme. René: “With this shared standard, it becomes much easier to exchange and discuss solutions with one another. There is also a lot to be gained if more suppliers are encouraged to adopt OOAPI.”
But the starting point is, in fact, a Tower of Babel. Jan-Willem explains: “The variation you see at national level also exists within an institution on a smaller scale: different faculties with different ‘languages’. We will also need to adapt internal processes alongside the systems side, in order to ultimately let the system do its job. So harmonisation is needed, of both language and ways of working.”
"The bottomline is that the student comes first"
Jan-Willem warns: "You cannot change all those systems at once. Our educational logistics system is an operational factory that has to keep running. So you have to choose logical moments to make adjustments to it, without affecting your students too much."
However, the alternative to standardisation is untenable. Gertjan: "We face a huge task as an education sector. Sector facilities are only going to be a success if they can be embraced as standards. That also means: opting for the OOAPI, as the foundation of the facilities."
The bottomline of all these changes is that the student comes first, Jan-Willem concludes. "Ultimately, it's about adding value to education with our work. The OOAPI makes that possible."
Text: Aad van de Wijngaart
Have your say on OOAPI
Everyone can contribute their thoughts on the OOAPI. Join the community!
Do you have any questions? Mail to info@openonderwijsapi.nl
Getting started with OOAPI
Do you want to get started directly with the OOAPI and can we help? Get in touch via adoptie@npuls.nl
Want to know more?
- Go to the OOAPI website: https://openonderwijsapi.nl/v6/#/
- Listen to the podcast: https://www.surf.nl/en/podcast/what-you-need-to-know-about-apis