The agreement will bring together a combined team of 275 employees which will work to ensure credentials are more effectively helping those traveling to new countries to access enrolment or employment opportunities.

“Our combined network can simplify and deepen trust in the exchange and verification of credentials”

In the US, Parchment issues and exchanges academic credentials ranging transcripts, diplomas, certifications, digital badges, graduation/degree verifications for tens of thousands of school districts, universities, state education agencies and other organisations, as well as tens of millions of learners.

With a similar scope of solutions, Digitary works across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the UK and Ireland.

It will continue to operate with its current brand, technology, team, and unique national network partnership model, while Parchment will operate as the global parent company.

“In a world of global student mobility, and global recruitment of graduates for graduate learning and employment, our combined network can simplify and deepen trust in the exchange and verification of credentials,” said Digitary founder and CEO Andy Dowling and Parchment CEO Matthew Pittinsky, in a joint statement.

“At a time of rapidly changing expectations for how academic credentials communicate degree learning outcomes, our combined resources can expand and accelerate our innovation investments.”

One key difference that Digitary highlighted about its provisions is its national network partnership model, with MyeQuals, for Australian and New Zealand universities, and Canada’s official credential wallet for post-secondary learners MyCreds/MesCertif.

“Through these partnerships, as well as direct relationships with higher education institutions, Digitary is used by organisations in over 135 countries,” the company noted.

“In some countries and regions like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, a national network partnership model works best. Whereas in the United States and the UK a direct-to-institution model works best,” Parchment told The PIE.

“In either case, continuity of service and long-standing relationships are critically important to our members (customers). So while we are excited about future innovation, it remains our top priority to be culturally conscious and provide continuity for  our existing partnerships.”

The combined Parchment and Digitary resources can expand and accelerate innovation investments at a time of rapidly changing expectations for how academic credentials communicate learning outcomes, the company added.

“In a world of expanding global student mobility for graduate learning and employment, the combined Parchment and Digitary network can simplify and deepen trust in the exchange and verification of academic credentials.”

The London School of Economics and Political Science also recently announced it would upgrade its partnership with Digitary on its online academic credentials and verification platform.

The Digitary CORE platform allows LSE and Digitary to offer “students digital access to their official academic credentials, that they can access anywhere and be recognised wherever they are in the world for further study and employment opportunities”, the institution’s head of Student Services Martyn Annis said.

“LSE is proud to be at the forefront and ensuring this important element of the student experience is excellent for all current and future graduates.”