EduTAP – a Concept and System of Digital Identities for Proximity On-Site Service Access

Universities offer a variety of services to students, staff, and affiliates, traditionally managed through physical campus cards. However, increasing mobility requirements and the need for secure, interoperable digital identity solutions call for a modernized approach to service access. This paper introduces eduTAP, an open-source concept and software framework that builds on top of digital wallets and provides service access in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) based on wallet passes. eduTAP leverages existing mobile wallet standards (Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and the European Digital Identity Wallet) to enable secure authentication, service access, and identity verification. By replacing traditional campus cards with dedicated digital service passes for local services and a harmonized digital identity document, eduTAP enhances scalability, privacy, and interoperability. The proposed harmonized identity document aligns with eduGAIN schemas and attribute definitions, ensuring global usability while enabling easy service access for students, staff, researchers, and affiliates at home and host universities while on mobility.