Canonical Academy: Ubuntu Launches Certification Platform

Canonical has launched the Canonical Academy, a new certification platform for Ubuntu and Linux skills for administrators. Unlike established certifications such as LPIC or Red Hat, Canonical consistently focuses on practice-oriented exams that simulate real work scenarios, according to the company. The first available qualification path is the SysAdmin track, which consists of four modular exams.

The exams are conducted entirely in the browser and are based on an Ubuntu environment in the cloud. Candidates must solve practical tasks instead of answering multiple-choice questions. “Canonical Academy focuses on realistic professional applications for its qualifications,” explains Adrianna Frick, Academy Team Lead at Canonical. The exam content is continuously reviewed by subject matter experts and is based on actual requirements from IT professions.

Starting with System Administrators

Currently, three of the four SysAdmin exams are available: “Using Linux Terminal” is publicly available, while “Using Ubuntu Desktop” and “Using Ubuntu Server” are still in beta. A fourth exam is under development. Those who successfully complete all four exams will receive the SysAdmin qualification in the form of a digital badge.

The badges are linked to specific Ubuntu LTS versions; all current exams are based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. For Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, planned for April 2026, updated exams are announced for September 2026. This versioning ensures that certificates demonstrate up-to-date knowledge. Each exam badge can be credited towards a certificate for two years.

The modular structure allows candidates to take the exams at their pace. Each exam is accompanied by a study guide based on the official exam content.

Further tracks and community involvement planned

Canonical plans to offer further qualification paths beyond the SysAdmin track but has not yet specified concrete areas. The platform is actively seeking Subject Matter Experts (SME) and beta testers from the community. SMEs will advise on defining topics and future content, while beta testers will test exams in advance and receive discounted access to full exams.

Canonical provides no information on the costs for the individual exams in the announcement. Interested parties can register on the official Academy website.

(fo)