UAS4EUROPE got together with other Higher Education actors to discuss the developing European agenda on micro-credentials.
UAS4EUROPE, along with Unilion, the Bavarian Research Alliance and University Colleges Denmark organised an Open Talk on “The European Approach to Micro-credentials”. The session was moderated by Otto Bruun of SwissCore in his capacity as the current UAS4EUROPE management committee chair. Micro-credentials are increasingly popular formats for educational qualifications as outcomes of small learning experiences such as short training courses. They offer a flexible way for people to develop skills and competences for personal and professional development. The open talk format was an occasion for Koen Nomden, Team Leader for Skills and qualifications recognition tools at DG EMPL, European Commission, to present the EU’s micro-credential agenda, followed by a Q&A with the audience.
The European Commission (EC) published its Proposal for a Council Recommendation on micro-credentials in December 2021 (for background, see SwissCore article on the initial process). The proposal aims at making micro-credentials work across institutions, businesses, sectors and borders. To achieve this objective, the French Council Presidency will, in the first semester of this year, lead the Member States’ work on a joint definition of micro-credentials, standard elements for their description, and key principles for their design and issuance. The goal of the proposed text is to help address the policy challenge of growing numbers of people that need to update their knowledge, skills, and competences, in particular with regard to the ongoing green and digital transitions as well as the COVID-19 recovery. Micro-credentials are an important tool in meeting this challenge, however, their value is not always clear, their providers are diverse and questions arise regarding quality-assurance, transparency and uptake between and within countries or sectors.
Nomden spoke about the EU actions needed to deliver on the potential of micro-credentials, in terms of supporting understanding of the instruments, supporting trust and transparency, as well as supporting uptake. He emphasised that the EC proposal does not seek to replace or disrupt existing systems or qualifications, but rather to set out a definition and guidance for their design, issuance and description, and so facilitate their quality, transparency and uptake. Although implementation will need to take place largely at national level, EC support is proposed by adapting existing EU tools, supporting cooperation between Member States and stakeholders, research and data collection as well as technical implementation through Europass.
The Council is due to adopt the recommendations in June 2022. Thereafter, Member States are expected to submit a plan setting out measures to be taken at national level to support the achievement of the objectives of the recommendations by 2025. For its part, the EC will assess and evaluate the progress made in the implementation and report to the Council within 5 years from the date of adoption.
The strong audience participation during the event demonstrates the great stakeholder interest among actors in higher education in advancing the discussion on micro-credentials.