Eduserv and JISC understanding

The following note documents Eduserv and JISC’s shared understanding of recent events and current positions in relation to access and identity management.

In October last year discussions began between the JISC and Eduserv regarding funding for interoperability between the UK Access Management Federation and the Athens federation. These negotiations were conducted in good faith:  Eduserv and the JISC regret that it was not possible to reach a solution satisfactory to both parties.

The JISC acknowledges Eduserv’s commitment to open standards and to providing interoperability between federations. OpenAthens provides one way among several for both identity providers and service providers to engage technically with the UK Access Management Federation.

Eduserv has encouraged and continues to encourage institutions subscribing to OpenAthens formally to join the UK Access Management Federation.