Welcome to the eduGAIN Academy

The eduGAIN Academy is the official self-paced training program designed to guide IT administrators, identity managers, and research professionals through the world of Federated Identity Management (FIM).

Through 5 progressive modules, you will journey from fundamental concepts to advanced technical configurations, learning how to securely connect your institution to eduGAIN, the global interfederation service for research and education.

What you will learn in the eduGAIN pathway:

  • Fundamentals: Understand the difference between Authentication vs. Authorization and trust models.

  • Technology: Deep dive into the SAML protocol, Metadata, and the roles of IdPs and SPs.

  • eduGAIN Structure: Discover how to connect your institution globally.

  • Compliance & Security: Master policy management, attribute release, and incident handling (SIRTFI).

  • Operations: Learn to use operational tools and support your federation community.

Certification:

Each module awards a specific Open Badge.

Complete all 5 courses to earn the final "eduGAIN Academy Specialist" certification.

Introduction to Federated Identity Management

This course introduces the fundamentals of Federated Identity Management (FIM), explaining the core concepts of digital identity, authentication, and authorization. You will explore how these mechanisms enable secure access to global research services and analyze the key differences between various federation architectures.

Key Components of Identity Federations

This course explores the technical architecture of identity federations by diving into the SAML 2.0 protocol and the critical role of metadata. You will learn exactly how trust is securely established between different organizations. Additionally, it clarifies the distinct technical roles of Identity Providers and Service Providers.

Introduction to eduGAIN

This course focuses on eduGAIN, the global interfederation service connecting research and education networks worldwide. You will discover how it bridges national federations and the practical benefits it brings to users. The module also covers the governance structure and the technical requirements for joining this global community.