GEO Code
A Trusted Web Service for Developers and Product Creation
Type: User Group
Schedule: On hiatus
Membership: PESC Members, AACRAO and GDN signatories, and their delegates
Co Chairs:
Matt Bemis, Associate Registrar, University of Southern California
Carollin Ho, Enterprise BI Specialist, Humber College
Ann Marie Lyseng, Senior Manager, Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT) Secretariat/Learner Pathways
Global Education Organization (GEO) Code is an automated directory look-up service that provides a unique value, number or code for colleges and universities. GEO Code includes both active and inactive institutions as well as historical, demographic, and identifier data.
GEO Code employs open architecture using standardized web services and protocols. The service provides a trusted source code to developers and product managers. GEO Code is free and serves to:
- make transfer and articulation more efficient.
- streamline delivery of student data.
- decreases the risk of fraud and abuse.
(GEO) Code is a seven-digit alphanumeric code comprised of:
- Two (2) digits ISO country code + Five (5) digits automated, alphanumeric code
- GEO Code is the primary project initiated by PESC’s Global Data Mobility User Group.
How You Can Participate
- contribute a list and/or help improve the list with updates and corrections
- participate in quarterly community conference calls to stay informed
- endorse or partner with PESC
For more information, please contact the PESC office.
How PESC Builds and Maintains GEO Code
History
GEO Code began as a project of PESC’s Global Data Mobility User Group (the GDM launched at the Spring 2016 Data Summit). At the first GDM meeting, the need for a single institution code set surfaced as one of the highest priorities. With today’s technological innovation, and open, transparent collaboration (the cornerstone of PESC’s foundation and guiding principle) and having finally reached the tipping point whereby most experts agree that such a code set is not only needed but now impacts data quality, cost, and fraud, all contribute to the conclusion that such a list is now a necessity.
Partners
PESC has partnered with AACRAO, Educational Credential Evaluators, the Groningen Declaration Network, and the University of Southern California.
Governance
The GEO Code User Group established a Steering Committee in 2017 at the Spring 2017 Data Summit, ultimately governed by the PESC Board of Directors, to administer more direct management, oversight and strategic planning of GEO Code. The Steering Committee is made up of nine (9) PESC Member representatives, is diverse, representing the various sectors across education, is semi-autonomous, and is responsible for the overall management of GEO Code.
Status
GEO Code is live in production with an online directory. The original pilot by the University of Southern California and IERF is also still in production. The GEO Code is seven (7) digits:
– Two (2) digit ISO country code, plus- Five (5) digit automated, alphanumeric code
To test this approach and underlying methodology, the User Group is assigning this unique Global Institution Code to institutions as it adds and enters them into the directory.
Cost
As a driving principle and in alignment with PESC’s mission, use of the Global Education Code will be free and open to the education community.
Additional Geo Code Information
1. Intent and Use
To provide a unique value, number or code THE GEO Code for all known postsecondary (tertiary) colleges and universities for use by organizations that require a trusted and reliable source value (number or code) when exchanging or transmitting electronic student data.
2. Governance
PESC and the GEO Code Steering Committee and User Group have full control over which institutions are added and listed in the GEO Code directory service. Users within the education community exchanging digital records and using the GEO Code may request additions and corrections to GEO Code data.
3. Phase Implementation
Phase 1 focuses on colleges and universities and GEO Code assignment is made country by country as prioritized by the User Group and Steering Committee until all colleges and universities are assigned a GEO Code. Phase 2 expands to all education organizations within a country.
4. Minimum GEO Code Requirements
For a college or university to be assigned a GEO Code in the directory, the minimum data required are a unique institution name and location. Institution location can be a city, state, province, postal code, or a fully articulated address.
Institution Name must be listed in both the native language (for non-English speaking countries) and in English. Additional data may also be included, such as URL, former name, native indices within the country of origin, and other information that may be provided by ministries of education for the country of reference, or other sources deemed reliable.
5. GEO Code Format
The format of the GEO Code is seven (7) digits: – two (2) character ISO country code, followed by a- five (5) digit alpha numeric value (e.g., #US12345)6. INSTITUTION STATUS
Each college and university within a country is indicated as either active or inactive. A reason code and explanation are provided for those with an inactive status.
7. Not Accreditation
There is no implied validity, accreditation, legal status or other official standing for institutions included in the GEO Code service. The GEO Code represents only the existence of the institution and provides the ability to identify that institution within an electronic data exchange transaction set. Sending and receiving parties utilizing GEO Codes acknowledge the mutually agreed upon index assignments.
8. Diploma Mills
In addressing diploma mills and/or institutions that may be known as such, the GEO Code directory may include diploma mills, if those diploma mills are known.
9. Sources of Data
Various sources have been used to list institutions in the GEO Code directory. In collaboration with AACRAO, EMREX and Erasmus Without Paper, many trusted additions have been made to the GEO Code directory. The GEO Code Steering Committee and User Group also target countries in which institution lists may not exist or be readily available; and in these instances, Wikipedia is used. For the countries in which Wikipedia is used, manual review verifies the existence of each institution, including the address, and the URL and Wikipedia has demonstrated, with validation, to be an extremely reliable source of data. Sharing these ‘wiki-lists’ with informed parties is the last step to final inclusion in the GEO Code directory and in the absence of other reliable data, Wikipedia will continue to be used.
10. Matching and Duplication
Once a GEO Code has been assigned to an institution, that GEO Code is not be available for reuse. For duplicates, a new entry will be considered duplicate if the institution name, city and country are identical to a GEO Code already listed in the directory.
11. USAGE IN PESC APPROVED STANDARDS
To facilitate adoption, implementation and usage of GEO Code and promote its benefits, GEO Code is being added by PESC through the Standards Development Forum for Education as TransmissionData.Source.Organization.ID to all PESC APPROVED STANDARDS. PESC encourages all institutions, service providers, government agencies and vendors to adopt, implement and use the GEO Code.
12. AACRAO and Groningen Declaration Network
PESC, the GEO Code Steering Committee and User Group include participation and representatives from both AACRAO and the Groningen Declaration Network; and through open discussion, collaboration, webinars and presentations, these guiding principles are presented and vetted to both communities to ensure broad applicability and acceptance.
13. Maintenance
To address the critical need for accuracy and maintenance of GEO Codes, the Steering Committee and User Group have planned a rolling 5-year review process for each entry in the GEO Code directory. To accelerate updating of information, users can also submit UPDATES and/or CORRECTIONS to PESC for the GEO Code directory listings.