The National Schools Interoperability Program (NSIP) is part of Education Services Australia (ESA). NSIP started as a joint initiative of State, Territory and Federal Ministers for Education in July 2010 to support the development of digital learning infrastructure nationally and improve access to information for stakeholders in the Australian school education sector. NSIP promotes the adoption of common technical standards and supports projects that improve data mobility and interoperability of information systems used by schools and school authorities across Australia. In particular, NSIP manages and supports the Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF) which was endorsed by the ministers for education in 2009 as the preferred method for exchanging data across the sector. NSIP continues to explore other data standards to meet the changing demands of the marketplace. NSIP also is in contact with global standards bodies and educational technology practitioners, in order to ensure the best informed advice on standards to the sector. This includes close collaboration with the New Zealand Department of Education, and with the international Access 4 Learning Community around SIF. NSIP is directed by a Steering Group comprising Education Chief Information Officers from all States and Territories and representatives from the Catholic and Independent school sectors, the Australian Government Department of Education, the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and Education Services Australia (ESA). The Steering Group reports annually to the Australian Education Senior Officials Committee (AESOC). The program is supported by a dedicated team of standards, education and ICT professionals based in Melbourne who work closely with school authorities, standards bodies and suppliers of education software.