This partnership highlights the organizations’ shared commitment to advancing the validation, recognition, and credentialing of quality learning across higher education, career and workforce development, and lifelong learning.
December 1, 2025 – The Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) and the Groningen Declaration Network (the GDN Network) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the GDN Annual Meeting in Oslo, Norway, making a significant step toward strengthening collaboration between their networks. CAPLA, as a signatory of the GDN and with the GDN Network serving as a member of CAPLA, will work together to establish clear objectives, parameters, and resources for joint activities.
This partnership aims to deepen mutual understanding of each organization’s distinct concerns and priorities, while actively promoting collaborative activities, both regionally and internationally, such as learning webinars and events. Additional joint efforts will focus on catalyzing the adoption of standards, policies, and practices to facilitate greater interoperability and seamless transfer within the evolving ecosystem of learner mobility. Emphasis will be placed on advancing digital credentials across education, career, workforce development, and lifelong learning.
Ann Marie Lyseng accepting the certificate on behalf of CAPLA, Oslo, Norway 2025
“CAPLA is excited to partner with the GDN Network through its recent MOU,” says Andy Brown, CAPLA Chair. “We hope that we can bring our community’s expertise in the recognition of prior learning to the conversation on learner mobility and look forward to many opportunities to seek out international collaboration and synergies.”
“Working alongside CAPLA allows us to align our efforts in advancing digital credentials, recognition practices, and learner mobility at a pivotal moment for global education,” says Charmaine Hack, Vice-President, The GDN Network. “Together, we are creating pathways that make it easier for individuals to have their skills and learning recognized, regardless of where they come from or where they want to go.”
With its leadership in the field of prior learning recognition, CAPLA will enrich the GDN community by providing expert guidance and advocating for the advancement of prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR). CAPLA will provide international leadership through its focus on policies, projects, research, and best practices related to PLAR. United in purpose, both organizations are committed to fostering the overarching goal of enhancing a network of networks community of practice.
About
About the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA): CAPLA provides support, expertise, and advocacy for the development of PLAR/RPL in Canada. Practitioners, policy makers and other stakeholders working together, can improve access and reduce barriers for non-traditional learners seeking recognition and workers looking for new opportunities in the labour force. Learn more at: https://capla.ca/
About The GDN Network: The GDN Network is an international, non-profit federated trust located in the Netherlands. It represents a voluntary network of like-minded organizations and individuals that seek to make digital student data portability happen. Its network of thought leaders from around the globe are collaborators who seek to support, advise, and offer innovative changes in the ways we share artifacts of academic learning. The GDN Network seeks common ground in best serving the academic and professional mobility needs of citizens worldwide by bringing together stakeholders in the digital student data ecosystem. It seeks to develop and support best practices and globally accepted standards for safe and citizen-oriented convenings and information exchanges. Learn more about the GDN Network at: groningendeclaration.org.
Media Contacts
- Andy Brown, CAPLA Chair & Interim ED, info@capla.ca
- Maya Hardy, Outreach Lead, GDN Network, outreach@groningendeclaration.org
