Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Higher and vocational education institutions, vendors, and regulators struggle with fragmented data models and siloed systems, leading to costly integration efforts and limited interoperability in an increasingly AI‑driven environment.
Solution
MortarCAPS provides the MortarCAPS Higher Learning Data Standard (MCDS), a sector‑owned, open JSON‑API native framework built on the CAUDIT Higher Education Reference Model. The standard defines a unified schema for entities such as students, courses, credentials, finances, HR, research, and locations, along with shared semantics and reference data. By exposing a consistent, machine‑readable API contract, MCDS enables systems to exchange data without vendor lock‑in. The not‑for‑profit steward governs versioning, change control, and public drafts, ensuring the standard evolves transparently with sector input. Institutions and vendors can adopt the standard directly or through implementation partners, reducing integration debt and supporting AI‑enabled analytics across the education ecosystem.
Target Audience
Primary users are higher education institutions, vocational colleges, education technology vendors, implementation partners, and government bodies responsible for education data standards.
Features
- Single, peer‑reviewed schema covering all core higher‑education entities (students, courses, credentials, finances, HR, research, locations)
- Open JSON‑API native design compatible with modern API contracts and polymorphic standards (ABS, ISO, Statistics Canada, PESC)
- Machine‑readable reference data and semantics to ensure consistent interpretation across systems
- Versioned governance process with public draft windows, change control, and working‑group participation
- Neutral, sector‑owned stewardship that prevents vendor‑driven lock‑in
- Free access for institutions via peak‑body membership; licensing fees apply only to vendors and implementation partners