Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) provides a new paradigm in trust and identity on how users can engage with, and have control over their personal data. It may also provide new models for institutions and services to engage with users in the context of issuing and receiving (researcher) identity and in dealing with guest or external identities. This will have an impact on how research communities and their services can handle authentication and authorization.

SSI awareness in Europe recently spiked as the revised EU eIDAS legislation puts SSI-based technology at the forefront of the minds of decision-makers and technologists alike. With large-scale pilots with wallet technology being planned and through the technology-driven European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) activity, the EU aims to roll out a digital wallet for every European by 2024.

To further explore these questions, an AARC BPA SSI expert working group (Group) will be formed to further explore, investigate and discuss such questions.