EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2025

Information technology for learning, education and training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 1: Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)

This document provides a framework that applies to all resources and specifies how to describe resources. It includes rules governing the way in which descriptions are made.
This document provides principles, rules and structures for specifying the description of any type of resource; it identifies and establishes attributes for specifying properties, resources classes, vocabularies and application profiles and the rules governing their use. The key principles set out in this document are framed in a user-centric context and aim to meet the requirements of multilingual and cultural adaptability from a global perspective.
This document can be used for the specification of metadata describing any type of resource (not only learning resources). This document is information-technology-neutral and defines a set of common approaches.
This document specifies generic properties, generic resource classes and predefined rule sets for content value rules. These generic elements are proposed in such a way that they can be widely reused, thereby promoting interoperability.
This document is applicable to the development of:
— application profiles based on the ISO/IEC 19788 series but not part of it or any other document based on it,
— standards consisting of the description of resources (in a broad sense), whether they belong to the domain of education or to any other domain.

Informationstechnik für Lernen, Ausbildung und Weiterbildung - Metadaten für Lernressourcen - Teil 1: Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)

Technologies de l'information pour l'apprentissage, l'éducation et la formation - Métadonnées pour ressources d'apprentissage - Partie 1: Cadre de référence (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)

Informacijska tehnologija za učenje, izobraževanje in usposabljanje - Metapodatki za učne vire - 1. del: Okvir (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 23-Sep-2025
• ICS: 03.100.30 - Management of human resources
• ICS: 35.240.90 - IT applications in education
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 353 - Information and Communication Technologies for Learning, Education and Training
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 353 - Information and Communication Technologies for Learning, Education and Training
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 24-Sep-2025
• Due Date: 10-Jul-2027
• Completion Date: 24-Sep-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2026 - Information technology for learning, education and training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 1: Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)

Relations

• Replaces: EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2012 - Information technology - Learning, education and training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 1: Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011)
• Effective Date: 03-Sep-2025

Overview

EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2025 - Information technology for learning, education and training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 1: Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024) defines a metadata framework for describing resources. It sets out principles, rules and structures for resource description that are IT-neutral, multilingual and culturally adaptable. Although focused on learning resources, the framework is usable for describing any type of resource and is designed to promote interoperability and reuse across systems, domains and countries.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Framework scope and principles: User-centric design, multilingual support and cultural adaptability to meet global requirements for metadata for learning resources.
• Resource classes: Specification attributes such as Identifier, Canonical identifier, Label, Name, Definition, Subclass of and Note to define reusable resource classes.
• Properties and data elements: Property specification attributes listed (for example Identifier, Domain, Codomain, Linguistic indicator, Content value rules, Refines, Example(s)) and templates for defining data elements.
• Vocabularies: Rules for defining controlled vocabularies (attributes like Open/closed, Extension of, Set of terms) and guidance for user extensions.
• Content value rules and best practices: Predefined rule sets for content values to ensure consistent and interoperable metadata values.
• Application profiles: Guidance for building application profiles based on ISO/IEC 19788 for specific implementations, without being tied to a particular technology.
• Digital access and accessibility considerations included as core concerns.
• Interoperability and reuse: Generic properties and resource classes are proposed to enable wide reuse across platforms and domains.

Practical applications

• Implement consistent learning resource metadata in LMSs, digital repositories and content management systems to improve discovery, reuse and analytics.
• Develop application profiles for institutional or national cataloguing of learning objects, course materials and digital collections.
• Create multilingual, culturally adaptable metadata records for international education platforms and open educational resources (OER).
• Integrate controlled vocabularies and content value rules for improved search, filtering and automated processing.
• Support metadata exchange between libraries, archives, publishers, educational technology vendors and governmental education bodies.

Who should use this standard?

• Metadata specialists, librarians and archivists
• LMS and educational content platform developers
• Instructional designers and content creators
• Standards developers and policy makers in education
• Researchers and institutions building interoperable learning repositories

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 19788 series (other parts) - for complete guidance on metadata for learning resources
• Other education and metadata standards and application profiles that integrate with ISO/IEC 19788 for interoperability

Keywords: metadata for learning resources, ISO/IEC 19788, learning resource metadata, metadata framework, interoperability, application profiles, controlled vocabularies, multilingual metadata.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2026
Informacijska tehnologija za učenje, izobraževanje in usposabljanje - Metapodatki
za učne vire - 1. del: Okvir (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)
Information technology for learning, education and training - Metadata for learning
resources - Part 1: Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)
Informationstechnik für Lernen, Ausbildung und Weiterbildung - Metadaten für
Lernressourcen - Teil 1: Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)
Technologies de l'information pour l'apprentissage, l'éducation et la formation -
Métadonnées pour ressources d'apprentissage - Partie 1: Cadre de référence (ISO/IEC
19788-1:2024)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2025
ICS:
03.100.30 Vodenje ljudi Management of human
resources
03.180 Vzgoja in izobraževanje Education
35.240.90 Uporabniške rešitve IT v IT applications in education
izobraževanju
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO/IEC 19788-1
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
September 2025
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 03.100.30; 35.240.90 Supersedes EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2012
English Version
Information technology for learning, education and
training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 1:
Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)
Technologies de l'information pour l'apprentissage, Informationstechnik für Lernen, Ausbildung und
l'éducation et la formation - Métadonnées pour Weiterbildung - Metadaten für Lernressourcen - Teil 1:
ressources d'apprentissage - Partie 1: Cadre de Framework (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)
référence (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 22 September 2025.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
The text of ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024 has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1
“Information technology” of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and has been
taken over as EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2025 by Technical Committee CEN/TC 353 “Technologies
supporting education and learning processes” the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by March 2026, and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by March 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2012.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO/IEC 19788-1:2025 without any
modification.
International
Standard
ISO/IEC 19788-1
Second edition
Information technology for
2024-11
learning, education and training —
Metadata for learning resources —
Part 1:
Framework
Technologies de l'information pour l'apprentissage, l'éducation et
la formation — Métadonnées pour ressources d'apprentissage —
Partie 1: Cadre de référence
Reference number
ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024(en) © ISO/IEC 2024

ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024(en)
© ISO/IEC 2024
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
© ISO/IEC 2024 – All rights reserved
ii
ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .vi
Introduction .vii
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Abbreviated terms . 9
5 Digital access . 9
6 MLR Resource classes . 10
6.1 General .10
6.2 Resource class specification attributes .10
6.2.1 Attribute "Identifier" .10
6.2.2 Attribute "Canonical identifier" .11
6.2.3 Attribute "Label" .11
6.2.4 Attribute "Name" . 12
6.2.5 Attribute "Definition" . . . 12
6.2.6 Attribute "Subclass of" . 12
6.2.7 Attribute "Note" . 13
6.3 Resource class specification template . 13
6.4 Example of a resource class specification . 13
7 MLR Properties . 14
7.1 General .14
7.2 Property specification attributes .14
7.2.1 Attribute "Identifier" .14
7.2.2 Attribute "Canonical identifier" . 15
7.2.3 Attribute "Label" . 15
7.2.4 Attribute "Name" .16
7.2.5 Attribute "Definition" . .16
7.2.6 Attribute "Domain" .17
7.2.7 Attribute "Codomain" . .17
7.2.8 Attribute "Linguistic indicator" .17
7.2.9 Attribute "Content value rules" .18
7.2.10 Attribute "Refines" .19
7.2.11 Attribute "Example(s)" .19
7.2.12 Attribute "Note(s)" .19
7.2.13 Attribute "Best practice(s)". 20
7.2.14 Attribute "Status" . 20
7.3 Essential vs non-essential attributes . 20
7.4 Property specification template .21
7.5 Aggregation of properties .21
7.6 Example of a property specification . 22
7.6.1 General . 22
7.6.2 Property specification . 22
7.6.3 Associated content value rule set . 23
8 MLR Vocabularies .23
8.1 General . 23
8.2 Vocabulary specification attributes . 23
8.2.1 Attribute "Identifier" . 23
8.2.2 Attribute "Canonical identifier" .24
8.2.3 Attribute "Label" .24
8.2.4 Attribute "Name" . 25
8.2.5 Attribute "Open/closed" . 25
8.2.6 Attribute "Extension of" . 25

© ISO/IEC 2024 – All rights reserved
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ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024(en)
8.2.7 Attribute "Set of terms" . . 26
8.3 Vocabulary specification template . 26
8.4 User extensions of MLR vocabularies .27
8.5 Example of vocabulary specifications .27
8.5.1 General .27
8.5.2 Vocabulary "Opportunity types" .27
8.5.3 Vocabulary "Extended opportunity types" . 28
9 MLR Data elements .28
9.1 General . 28
9.2 Data element specification attributes . 29
9.2.1 Attribute " Property identifier " . 29
9.2.2 Attribute "Subject" . 29
9.2.3 Attribute "Content value" . 29
9.2.4 Attribute "Language code" . 30
9.3 Data element specification template . . 30
9.4 Examples of MLR data elements . 30
9.4.1 EXAMPLE 1 . . . 30
9.4.2 EXAMPLE 2 (content value of the data element from a vocabulary) . 30
10 MLR Records .30
10.1 General . 30
10.2 MLR record: Components .31
10.2.1 Component "Identifier" .31
10.2.2 Component "Resource" .31
10.2.3 Component "Content" .31
11 MLR Application profiles . .31
11.1 General .31
11.2 Application profile specification attributes .32
11.2.1 Attribute "Identifier" .32
11.2.2 Attribute "Canonical identifier" .32
11.2.3 Attribute "Label" . 33
11.2.4 Attribute "Name" . 33
11.2.5 Attribute "Description" . 34
11.2.6 Attribute "Extension of" . 34
11.2.7 Attribute "List of identifiers of templates for property constraints" . 34
11.3 Application profile specification template . 34
11.4 Constraint on properties . 35
11.5 Constraint on properties template . 35
11.5.1 Shape of the constraint on properties template . 35
11.5.2 Content of the constraint on properties template . 35
11.6 Example . 36
11.6.1 Example of the specification of an application profile .37
11.6.2 Example of the specification of property constraints .37
11.6.3 Example of a Conditions Table .37
11.7 Ordered list of items . 38
11.8 Global content value rule sets . 38
11.9 Extension of an application profile . 38
11.10 Documents specifying application profiles . 39
12 Documents based on this document .39
12.1 New parts of the ISO/IEC 19788 series . 39
12.2 Documents beyond ISO/IEC 19788 based on this standard . 39
12.2.1 Documents specifying application profiles . 39
12.2.2 Documents specifying MLR entities . 39
13 Generic resource classes and LET related classes .40
13.1 General . 40
13.2 Generic resource classes . 40
13.2.1 Class "Resource" . 40

© ISO/IEC 2024 – All rights reserved
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ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024(en)
13.2.2 Class "Information Resource" . 40
13.2.3 Class "Web Resource" .41
13.2.4 Class "Representation" .41
13.3 Other resource classes .42
13.3.1 Class "Person" .42
13.3.2 Class "Learning Resource".42
14 Generic properties .42
14.1 General .42
14.2 Properties whose domain is class "Resource".43
14.2.1 Property "has Description" .43
14.2.2 Property "name" .43
14.3 Properties whose domain is class "Information Resource" . 44
14.3.1 Property "describes" . 44
14.3.2 Property "has representation" .45
14.4 Property whose domain is class "Web Resource" .45
14.4.1 Property "location" .45
14.5 Properties whose domain is class "Representation" . 46
14.5.1 Property "character encoding" . 46
14.5.2 Property "media type" .47
14.5.3 Property "refers to" .47
14.5.4 Property "represents" . 48
15 Generic content value rule sets .48
15.1 General . 48
15.2 MLR String . 49
15.3 BCP 47 . 49
15.4 Boolean . 49
15.5 Date . 49
15.6 Date & Time . 50
15.7 Duration . 50
15.8 HTTP IRI . 50
15.9 IRI . 50
15.10 MEDIA TYPE .51
15.11 Time interval .51
15.12 JSON string. .52
Annex A (normative) Language equivalents for names and labels.53
Annex B (normative) MLR identifiers .54
Annex C (normative) MLR canonical identifiers and additional constraints on MLR
specifications .58
Annex D (normative) Rules for all parts of ISO/IEC 19788 .65
Annex E (normative) UML class diagram of generic and other resource classes and related
properties .69
Annex F (informative) UML class diagrams for this document .70
Annex G (informative) Contents of documents specifying application profiles .73
Annex H (informative) Contents for documents beyond ISO/IEC 19788 specifying MLR entities.75
Annex I (informative) Principles governing the development of ISO/IEC 19788 .77
Bibliography .79

© ISO/IEC 2024 – All rights reserved
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ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity.
ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/
IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
ISO and IEC draw attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the
use of (a) patent(s). ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any
claimed patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO and IEC had not
received notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers
are cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent
database available at www.iso.org/patents and https://patents.iec.ch. ISO and IEC shall not be held
responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 36, Information technology for learning, education and training.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011), which has been technically
revised. It also incorporates amendment 1 (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011/AMD 1:2014).
The main changes are as follows:
— Generic terms and definitions, previously in ISO/IEC 19788-8:2015 (Annex E) have been added to
Clause 3;
— An attribute "label" has been added to MLR specification templates for resource classes, properties (DESs in
ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011), application profiles, generic content rule sets, vocabularies, and vocabulary terms;
— "Data element specification" has been renamed to "property specification";
— Redefining what an application profile is and deleting data element groups (DEGs);
— Clause 8 about MLR Vocabularies has been added. This clause solves a long-standing problem with
the MLR Standard: The non-existence of a normalized way to specify/describe MLR vocabulary in a
technology independent way;
— the entire content of the document has been reviewed and modified where necessary.
A list of all parts in the ISO/IEC 19788 series can be found on the ISO and IEC websites.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards
body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and
www.iec.ch/national-committees.

© ISO/IEC 2024 – All rights reserved
vi
ISO/IEC 19788-1:2024(en)
Introduction
0.1  Purpose and overview
This document was originally designed as a framework for the specification of metadata describing learning
resources (hence it’s title MLR: Metadata for Learning Resources). Its use in SC36 to specify metadata about
competences or accessibility has shown that its scope is broader than originally intended.
This document is about providing a metadata framework relevant to several committees and sectors and
is of crucial importance to ensure coherence across standardization deliverables. The framework provides
specification of generic entities and rules governing their use. This would then be used to define the semantic
(meaning) of any type of information in a predictable way. This framework is information-technology-
neutral and defines a set of common approaches, i.e. methodologies and constructs. The key principles
are informed by a user requirements-driven context with the aim of supporting multilingual and cultural
adaptability requirements from a global perspective, providing a way to link semantics to content.
This document includes rules for the assignment and management of identifiers and the development of
subsequent documents fulfilling specific user needs.
Additionally, this document specifies how to define application profiles.
Some generic resource classes and properties are included in this document but there are few of them.
Excluded from this document are the specification of bindings for properties (e.g. XML or RDF/OWL bindings)
and the description of particular application profiles. These will be considered in subsequent documents.
Nevertheless, code may be used in an informal way in examples.
The primary purpose of the ISO/IEC 19788 series is to facilitate: (1) the description of a learning resource by
providing a standards-based approach to the identification and specification of the properties required to
describe a learning resource, for example, as a metadata learning resource (MLR) record; and, (2) the search,
discovery, acquisition, evaluation, and use of learning resources, for instance by learners, instructors or
automated software processes. The interoperability of these functions can be achieved through harvesting
or federated search processes, among other technologies and solutions. ISO/IEC 19788 (all parts) is based on
identified user requirements.
At the same time, ISO/IEC 19788 (all parts) takes into account the diversity of cultural and linguistic
contexts in which learning resources and their metadata are likely to be created and exploited.
ISO/IEC 19788 (all parts) also facilitates the sharing and reuse of learning resource descriptions.
ISO/IEC 19788 (all parts) aims to specify properties relating to learning resources to be expressed in a range
[2] [4]
of established formats, providing some compatibility with IEEE 1484.12.1-2002, ISO 15836-1:2017 and
[5]
ISO 15836-2:2019 (as exemplified by ISO/IEC 19788-2 and amendment), while also addressing user-driven
requirements and uses not explicitly addressed in those two standards. These properties are used to form
the description of a learning resource.
In addition to having this document, ISO/IEC 19788 (all parts) is modularly structured with all subsequent
parts having a distinct scope. Some of these parts represent a specified set of user requirements for the
identification and specification of properties having a particular focus and intended use in the description
of a learning resource. This includes collections of properties focused on technical perspectives, educational
(pedagogical) aspects, etc.
0.2  About the description of resources
Properties are the basis of the resource description. However, not all properties are relevant to describe all
resources. Indeed, a person is not described like a book. So, when specifying a property, a type of resources
containing all the entities the property may be applied to, a domain for the property is provided.
An important aspect of MLR is the notion of classes of resources,
...