EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 10.12.2021 SWD(2021) 367 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability {COM(2021) 770 final}



Contents Introduction 1. State of play 1.1. Increasing Demand for flexible learning opportunities 1.2. Main drivers of demand 1.2.1. Lifelong Learning and personal development 1.2.2. The right skills for better employability in the EU labour market 1.2.3. Green transitions 1.2.4. Digital transitions 1.3. Overview of current provision of micro-credentials 1.3.1. Micro-credentials in higher education 1.3.2. Micro-credentials in Vocational Education and Training (VET) 1.3.3. Private providers 1.4. Potential benefits of Micro-credentials 2. Problem Definition 2.1. Lack of definition 2.2. Lack of trust 2.3. Lack of transparency

2.4. Lack of uptake 3. Available feedback from target and open consultations on the envisaged measures 3.1. Outline of the consultation strategy 3.2. Analysis of results across different consultation activities 3.2.1. Consultation Strategy and Activities 3.2.2. Roadmap 3.2.3. Open Public Consultation 3.2.4. Targeted stakeholder events 3.2.5. Reach of the Stakeholder Consultation Strategy 3.3. Findings 3.3.1. Open Public Consultation and targeted stakeholder consultation events 3.4. Conclusions 4. Objectives of the proposal 5. EU added value 6. What instruments are available? 7. Rationale for key elements of the proposal 7.1. A common and transparent definition 7.2. EU standard for micro-credentials – a defined list of critical elements to describe micro-credentials 7.3. EU Principles for design and issuance of micro-credentials 7.3.1. Quality

7.3.2. Transparency 7.3.3. Relevance 7.3.4. Valid assessment 7.3.5. Learning pathways 7.3.6. Recognition 7.3.7. Portable 7.3.8. Learner centred 7.3.9. Authentic 7.3.10. Information and guidance 7.4. Provisions in the proposal



Introduction In the Commission political guidelines, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen states her intention “to bring down barriers to learning and improve access to quality education”, underlining the relevance of inclusion and quality in lifelong learning as proclaimed in the European Pillar of Social Rights. Subsequently, the European Skills Agenda, adopted on 1 July 2020, announced among its 12 flagship actions a new initiative on a European approach to micro-credentials, with the aim to support the quality, transparency and take-up of micro-credentials across the EU, in order to encourage people to upskill and reskill in a fast and effective way, in line with needs of the labour market and a fast-changing society. Equally, the Commission Communication on achieving the European Education Area by 2025, adopted on 30 September 2020, announced that the Commission would work towards the development of a European Approach to micro-credentials, to help widen learning opportunities and strengthen the role of higher education and vocational education and training institutions in lifelong learning by providing more flexible and modular learning opportunities. As a follow-up to these actions, the 2021 Commission Work Programme commits to proposing a European approach to micro-credentials under the headline ambition “Promoting our European way of life”. Accordingly, the European Commission is putting forward a proposal for a Council Recommendation on Micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability to adopt a common definition and approach to quality, transparency, and uptake of micro-credentials, by building on existing tools, as far as possible. The proposal aims to: ·Enable individuals to acquire the knowledge, skills and competences they need to thrive in an evolving labour market and society, to benefit fully from a socially fair recovery and just transitions to the green and digital economy; ·Support the preparedness of providers of micro-credentials to enhance the transparency and the flexibility of the learning offer in order to empower individuals to forge personalised learning and career pathways;

·Foster inclusiveness and equal opportunities, contributing to the achievement of resilience, social fairness and prosperity for all, in a context of demographic change and throughout all economic cycles. To achieve these objectives, the proposal establishes a European approach recommending to Member States to: ·Apply a common EU definition, standards and key principles for design and issuance of micro-credentials; ·Develop the eco-system for micro-credentials, and; ·Deliver on the potential micro-credentials to support employability and lifelong learning. This staff working document provides evidence and additional background information to the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on Micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability. ·Chapter 2 looks at the drivers behind micro-credentials and offers an overview of the state of play as well as examples of existing practices. ·Chapter 3 provides evidence for the need for Council a Recommendation and highlight the value of an EU-level action. ·Chapter 4 summarises the main findings of the consultation process. ·Chapter 5 presents the general, specific and operational objectives of the proposal linked with the problematic issues identified earlier. It also contains a short explanation of necessity and added value of an EU action. ·Chapter 6 presents the conclusions for a European approach and how it would improve the situation and support the objectives presented in Chapter 5. 1.State of play Note: The subject of this Commission proposal is micro-credentials, meaning the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning. The proposal does not focus on the course or learning experience itself that may lead to the micro-credential (although the course, providers and other aspects of the learning experience may be an important factor in the quality assurance mechanisms for the issuance of the micro-credential). 1.1.Increasing Demand for flexible learning opportunities The phenomenon of micro-credentials is not a new one. Small, usually short in duration courses leading to different types of awards or credentials, are already dominant in many education and training sectors, professions and labour market systems e.g. in diving instruction, IT certification, and in continuing professional development for health workers. The advance of technology, changes to the nature of work and new ways of learning (supported by the emergence of platforms and online learning) have repositioned the central learner’s role as they “build their own learning pathways”. Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis however, there has been an unprecedented surge in demand for online learning, including for short, tailored courses. Personalised learning, micro-learning and high-velocity training are amongst the key global education trends identified by Euromonitor. Interest in micro-credentials has exploded. An analysis of Google Trends by Brown et al (2021) reveals that the term 'micro-credentials' first appeared in Google search results in 2013 and there has been steady and continuous growth in the number of online searches for the term since then. Figure 1 shows that the highest point in the trend data for the term "micro-credentials" was reached in May 2021. This demand for small and shorter learning options and their recognition is set to continue within the context of the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

Figure 1: Growth of micro-credentials evidenced by Google search traffic Providers and delivery modes of micro-credentials are multiplying, they may be offered by a range of organisations, not all of which are traditional providers of training and education. Micro-credential providers include schools, higher education institutions, vocational education and training (VET) providers and private education and training providers. Providers also include specialised learning platforms, collaborative initiatives that focus on particular professions and occupations, and a growing number of companies and professional associations that design their own competency-based offerings. Finally, public and non-profit bodies such as charities, government departments and international organisations may offer micro-credentials related to their missions. Higher education institutions have been active for quite some time in providing lifelong learning opportunities, or units smaller than full degrees, such as courses, modules, diplomas, parts of degrees, in-service training, etc. VET programmes have similarly shifted to become more flexible and learner centred, through face-to-face, digital and blended learning, flexible and modular pathways. Continuing vocational training is by its nature closely aligned to shifts and demands in the labour market and makes use of micro-credentials to support individual up-skilling or reskilling needs. Task and competence-oriented certificates linked to shorter learning experiences, already play an important role in many parts of the labour market (offered by sectors, private companies, international organisations and public bodies). For instance, certificates and small training bundles in technical skills such as welding, computer networking, or accounting are in high demand in the US). Figure 2 shows the top 5 most requested certificates and certifications. Figure 2: Top 5 US Job requests for Certificates and Certifications Major corporate actors have been described as disruptive forces, challenging the status quo of traditional education and training models through short courses credentialed by corporate actors themselves to support both entry level and career advancement. Examples include Google which recognises these courses as the equivalent of a full bachelor’s degree for recruitment selection purposes; and EY and IBM which have both adopted recruitment strategies that give people a foot in the door based on non-traditional education, and soft or transversal skills. These organisations also continue to partner with other stakeholders, for instance, Google recently launched career certification in IT aligned pathways for job seekers, in areas of high unemployment in Ireland in partnership with a local Education and Training Board and with an international MOOC platform. These patterns reflect a global trend. For instance, in Australia, a recent media piece on micro-credentials claims micro-credentials are “huge and hiding in plain sight” and reports that in 2019 there were 2.6m people enrolled in non-qualification “training bundles”, primarily to meet regulatory requirements in workplace safety, emergency preparedness, and authority to operate. This figure is confirmed in a detailed analysis of micro-credentials in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia where it is reported that this sector is largely a ‘private’ market with over 90% of these short training bundles funded on a fee-for-service basis. The growth in demand and uptake of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) is one of the most notable trends to consider in the context of micro-credentials and the biggest indication of the dramatic growth in learner engagement with short, online courses. By the end of 2020, more than 180 million learners had enrolled in over 16,000 Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) throughout the world, with around 1200 micro-credentials. Figure 3: Growth of MOOCs in 2020 In June 2020, there were almost 50 million visits to the major platforms around the world18. ClassCentral has also reported that the numbers of sessions on the major MOOC platforms during March and April 2020 were up 50% to 400% on previous years. MOOC platforms are considered an important global player in the development of micro-credentials. The global online degree and micro-credential market is predicted to grow exponentially over the next few years, with an estimated value of US $118 billion by 2025. The learning platform market is booming and the number of course providers is growing rapidly, from companies such as edX, 2U, Coursera and Credly to new players LinkedIn, Google, and PwC. There is also growing use of online learning platforms by public authorities (e.g France Universitaire Numérique in France, EduOpen in Italy) and specific institutions, created through collaboration between institutions and/or sectors or established by private providers for profit or non-profit purposes. Characterised as flexible, open, self-paced, highly interactive, interdisciplinary and cost-reducing, MOOCs are being considered by many diverse actors within education17, training and industry. It should be noted that not all MOOCs lead to certification; MOOC providers often offer an option to purchase or apply for a certification to recognise completion of the MOOC. Figure 4: Predicted growth in the global market for micro-credentials This development of myriad online platforms has created a new dimension to not just online learning but learning more broadly. Micro-credentials offered on online platforms have inherent perceived advantages, in comparison with traditional models of education and training offers. Learners are usually able to choose from and compare a wide range of opportunities and view feedback of other learners who have completed the programme. Such platforms can also offer the ability to ‘stack’ and combine micro-credentials to earn larger credentials over time.

Education and training institutions that do offer micro-credentials through online learning platforms are encouraged to demonstrate their comparative advantage by increasing the accessibility and relevance of the learning experience including links with traditional education and training programmes (e.g. by offering credit) and demonstrating collaboration with the industry on micro-credential development . Credit recognition is increasingly used for micro-credentials completed online and offers the learner a tangible recognition of the learning experience as well as a way to pursue studies towards a qualification. The rapid growth in online learning platforms poses questions about the shift to online learning, resources required at national level to respond to the shift and also the dominance of providers located outside of Europe. 1.2.Main drivers of demand This section presents an overview of the multiple influences and drivers which are stimulating the demand for micro-credentials and which have seen education and training organisations, social and labour market organisations seek to response to these demands. 1.2.1.Lifelong Learning and personal development Initial education and training plays a formative role in personal development but the demands and reality of life mean that personal development is a necessary process throughout life. Personal development enables personal fulfilment and growth throughout life. Personal development is necessary to cope with the demands and transitions in a fast-changing society, to make choices and take decisions, and to set goals and realise ambitions. Lifelong learning is an enabler of personal development. People can be inspired and motivated to learn and develop skills in topics not directly relevant to their career in which they have a personal interest including hobbies, volunteering, and working in their community. Learner Perspective Micro-credentials are at the service of the individual’s learning and professional development. A learner-centred approach has the potential to support people throughout their lives and engage them as owners and active agents in their learning and career pathways. Learners are not a single homogeneous group and it is important to acknowledge this diversity of learners in any approach to micro-credentials. Micro-credentials can support an array of learning pathways and contexts including different employment status (stable, full-time employment, part-time, freelance, etc.), levels of education and training, personal development needs and challenges faced by specific groups (such disabilities, age, social and economic background, digital literacy etc). The typical motivation of learners depends on personal situation as well as issues such as costs, availability of financial support from employers, the quality of the provider, recognition of the micro-credential by employers as well as the perceived quality of the micro-credential by industry. Research shows that those without the knowledge or cultural capital to navigate the market are likely to invest in training that is not actually valued by employers. On the other hand, more privileged individuals are able to tailor their credentials exactly to employer needs and maximise the benefits. This is borne out in research which highlights that those most effectively engaging in micro-credentialing already have degrees and good jobs and are essentially stacking micro-credentials onto existing educational and social privileges. In addition, evidence shows that digital learning tends to favour individuals who possess complex multi-literacy skills and have experience of self-regulated learning. However, some industry-led micro-credentialing initiatives have been successful at attracting non-traditional learners (e.g Google IT Support Professional Certificate). Figure 5: Who is the learner? Source: Pichette, J., Brumwell, S., Rizk, J., & Han, S. (2021). Making Sense of Microcredentials. Available research shows that graduate learners, in particular, tend to use micro-credentials to explore or upskill in topics not directly related to their original field of study. In practice however, learning for personal development may not be easily accessible or a priority for people. One the key obstacles preventing individuals to participate in new learning opportunities is the lack of time due to professional and personal activities. Micro-credentials have the potential to boost access and participation in lifelong learning by bringing more flexibility to the learning pathways and personalised learning thanks to their, usually short duration, modular approach and portability of credits. This is likely to attract a larger and more diverse number of learners, such as adult learners and offer opportunities to support their personal development or test new fields they would not have the time to dedicate to in the context of a tradition education or training experiences. Learning for personal development can also support development of transversal skills (creativity, critical thinking, complex information processing) which continue to grow in importance. Micro-credentials can play an important role in the developing transversal skills as expressed for example by the ECIU University alliance: “A distinctive feature of ECIU University’s micro-modules is our commitment to Challenge-based Learning (CBL) in order to support the development of creative and resilient European citizens with an entrepreneurial mindset, critical thinking and agility”. These ‘uniquely human’ skills are more essential than ever and can be used for increasingly diverse job roles as well as to ensure personal fulfilment and growth. MICROBOL project – identification of drivers MICROBOL (Micro-credentials linked to the Bologna key commitments) is a two-year project is co-funded by Erasmus+ KA3 Support to Policy reform, and, more specifically “Support to the implementation of European Higher Education Area (EHEA) reforms". The project supports ministries and stakeholders in exploring, within the Bologna Process, whether and how the existing Bologna tools can be used and/or need to be adapted to be applicable to micro-credentials. MICROBOL’s focus on lifelong learning for micro-credentials includes a wide variety of drivers and suggestions which align with drivers from the literature, including: ·providing access to education and training to diverse learner groups at a variety of points of an individual's learning journey; ·ensuring collaboration with stakeholders outside and across training and education to ensure the relevance of micro-credentials; ·exploring micro-credentials in terms of the Recognition of Prior Learning and the evidencing of learning i.e. knowledge, skills and competences and; ·translating and transferring knowledge and findings from research into learning for diverse learners but also within the context of lifelong learning. 1.2.2.The right skills for better employability in the EU labour market COVID-19 and the automation of jobs are identified as the components of an economic “double disruption”, by the World Economic Forum, suggesting that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025. The pandemic has catalysed governments across the globe to take action to address unemployment, reskilling and the upskilling of workers impacted by the pandemic. In the short-term, up to 59 million jobs in Europe are at risk due to COVID-19. Large-scale upskilling and reskilling efforts can help to minimise the impact of job losses. New and evolving work opportunities and practices are creating an urgent need for re-skilling among workers with micro-credentials identified as a possible means of supporting this upskilling at scale. Prior to the pandemic, new and emerging technologies have been reshaping millions of jobs. Increasingly rapid advances in technology and the labour market require an adaptable workforce to be familiar with state-of-the-art knowledge, and to possess the knowledge, skills and competences needed to make full use of technological and non-technological know-how. Employees need ‘just-in-time’ skills development that is immediately applicable. This trend is likely to accelerate with the economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. As skill demands continue to change, individuals will continually need to re-train, reskill or redeploy to avoid redundancy, social and economic displacement in their local communities and to avail of new labour opportunities. McKinsey Global Institute’s7 claim that by 2030, 75 million to 375 million workers (3% to 14% of the global workforce) will need to switch occupational categories or “around 85% of the jobs that today’s learners will be doing in 2030 haven’t been invented yet”.

The difficulties encountered by people in finding a job in line with their qualifications, demonstrate a misalignment between demand and supply of skills and qualifications, with a large number of individuals graduating in subjects for which there is little demand or for which there is an excess of supply relative to demand. The Eurograduate pilot survey shows that higher education graduates who are employed in a mismatched job earn significantly (13%-18%) less than graduates who find a matching position. Personal satisfaction of graduates who cannot find a job matching their level of qualification is similar to those who are unemployed. Almost one out of four VET graduates work in occupations that do not match their field of study. In terms of job opportunities, the share of VET graduates employed in high-skill jobs has gone down slightly on average across countries in spite of significant growth of overall employment in high-skill occupations. Regarding micro-credentials, a European Training Foundation (ETF) survey of education, training and labour market stakeholders from non-EU countries (primarily ETF members) found that the main motivation identified for the issue and uptake of micro-credentials is to address a specific work need and to recognise learning outcomes achieved outside formal education. This link with employability is also demonstrated in the results of the public consultation presented below. Employer Perspective While there has been limited research, the available literature indicates that awareness and experience with micro-credentials are low among employers. Even though employer recognition is expected to increase rapidly, this lack of awareness also means that micro-credentials have yet to meet their full potential as a tool for supporting learning in the workplace. The need to raise awareness among employers and consult with professional bodies in the development of micro-credentials was highlighted in the Joint ETUC–ETUCE (2020) position statement on micro-credentials. Employers are actively entering the alternative credentials market to increase their influence on education and supply of labour, and essentially to improve labour productivity. In the case of formal education programmes, employers’ participation in education and training can be limited – they may give advice to the government or education and training institutions or may co-develop some programmes. However, in the case of alternative credential programmes, they can choose learning methods and outcomes more freely and train individuals in the way they wish. Preliminary findings from the Cedefop’s ongoing study on micro-credentials role in facilitating learning for employment shows that employer organisations in the following sectors are most active in making use of micro-credentials: information and communication (31%), accommodation and food service activities (22%), human health and social work activities (22%) and manufacturing (22%). Least represented sectors are agriculture, forestry and fishing (3%) and public administration and defence (3%). Employers do not seem to view alternative credentials as substitutes for formal education qualifications; rather, they appear to see them as complementary. Although different views exist on the labour market relevance of degrees, a degree appears to still work as a signal of one’s skills and knowledge. Micro-credentials need not just be considered for recruitment purposes of course; they can be a key tool in supporting staff development and encouraging lifelong learning. Employer engagement with lifelong learning does vary however. The OECD (2021) Skills Outlook Report notes that the number of employees in an organisation determines the likelihood of being disengaged in lifelong learning (see Figure 6). Micro and small employers with fewer staff appear to have higher levels of disengagement. Figure 6: Employer characteristics related to worker disengagement from lifelong learning Cedefop’s ongoing study on micro-credentials role in facilitating learning for employment found that employers do see potential benefits of micro-credentials including: improving employee motivation; improving retention of employees; building a culture of CPD; supporting speedier responses to the needs of employers; flexibility for upskilling and reskilling and delivering content that is more relevant to labour market needs. Importantly, there are barriers to delivering on this potential in reality (see Problem Definition below). The study findings also reiterated that, for recruitment purposes it seems that most employers still seem to regard a traditional degree as a signal of skills and suitability for employment. 1.2.3.Green transitions The transition towards a low-carbon economy is expected to create more than 1 million new jobs in the EU by 2030, and more than 2 million by 2050 Job creation will occur mainly in sector such as construction, renewable energy production, sustainable transport, waste management, business services and sustainable finance. However, the transition will also lead to job losses, in particular in fossil fuel extraction and processing. Across the economy, task profiles and skill requirements will change fundamentally (e.g. in car manufacturing). Across the board, there is increasing demand for professionals who build and master green technologies, develop green products, services and business models, create innovative nature-based solutions and help minimise the environmental footprint of activities. 1.2.4.Digital transitions Achieving a human-centric digital transition calls for a step-change in digital skills. Already now, Europeans need digital skills in life and at work: in some job categories, more than 90% of jobs require specific types of digital skills . Around 40% of new jobs were created in digitally intensive sectors between 2005 and 2016. However, the rapidly growing demand for digital experts cannot be met. For example, there is a gap of 291,000 professionals in cybersecurity. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting containment measures were a stark reminder that Europe’s workforce - and more widely the whole population - need to rapidly increase their level of digital skills. This was particularly visible in the education and training sector, for students, teachers and trainers alike. More broadly, digitalisation creates opportunities and challenges when considering the potential of micro-credentials. Digitalisation has made the advent of online platforms, learning and MOOCs possible as well as opened up new opportunities regarding recognition, authentication, interoperability and exchange of information on skills and qualifications through standardised & technical formats for both new and traditional credentials and skills etc. Equally, digitalisation can heighten issues of social inclusion/exclusion, diversity challenges, and risk proliferating and expanding current inequalities across all levels of societies and within economies. Accordingly, it is essential that any approach to micro-credentials leverages the potential of digitalisation to empower people and support inclusion just as much as it can enable innovation and delivery of learning leading to micro-credentials. 1.3.Overview of current provision of micro-credentials Micro-credentials are provided by a variety of organisations, in the public and private sectors, active in area of education, training, employability, and lifelong learning. Companies, professional associations, government departments and international organisations are increasingly using micro-credentials while some countries such as Ireland and Malta have included micro-credentials within their national education and training system subject to government accreditation and registration . Figure 7 provides an overview of the main categories of micro-credential providers and delivery channels. Each of these providers and channels have particular advantages and disadvantages in terms of utility and articulation of their offerings and their offer’s accessibility to a wide range of learners. In addition, the increasing collaboration between providers from different sectors and technological development is blurring the lines between different provider types and delivery channels. As noted by the OECD (2021) , these developments are overturning the traditional one-to-many relationship between education providers and learners, and creating a new provider ecosystem that contains a continuum of connections between individual providers and learners. Figure 7. Micro-credential provider ecosystem and delivery channels (OECD 2021)

1.3.1.Micro-credentials in higher education Micro-credentials play different roles within higher education systems, depending on their specific context, structure, traditions and wider factors such as the demand for skills in the wider economy and the existence of other forms of education and training. Higher education institutions are increasingly expressing an interest in micro-credentials. One of the main reasons is their will to increase their visibility and reputation . Other major reasons, notably associated with MOOCs is the potential cost savings associated with reusable material, limited need for facilities and increased number of students. Micro-credentials also allow for small-scale experimentation of new pedagogies and technologies, improvement of the overall quality of the offering and potential to generate to generate additional revenues. The public mission of higher education institutions also places them on the front line to make of micro-credentials a tool for inclusion and to have a positive impact on participation of disadvantaged groups in lifelong learning. At the same time, there is evidence from around the globe that some institutions and university consortia are embracing micro-credentials as a way to redesign the traditional curriculum to prepare more work-ready students and graduates. Micro-credentials can have a role to play in supporting more flexible and tailored learning pathways in order to respond to the criticisms of the still-dominant, campus-focused program models: long and relatively inflexible programs; inadequate recognition of prior learning; slow or limited innovation in pedagogy; insufficient student supports for career-readiness; weak alignment to labour market needs; and a limited commitment to online and digital-enabled learning. There is also a growing expectation that learners will require regular upskilling through their lives, with more mobile career pathways, and as tasks associated with particular roles evolve in response to the integration of technology. Future development of micro-credentials is likely to require comprehensive articulation of the specific function and status of education programmes leading to micro-credentials within the wider set of higher education programmes and qualifications, if they are to achieve wide acceptance among learners and employers. There is also a lack of widespread agreement on how the micro-credentials themselves should be situated with respect to existing qualifications. The international classification of educational qualifications (ISCED) defines a qualification as an award leading to the completion of an entire education programme at a specific level of education, or completion of a stage of a wider education programme. Thus, micro-credentials based on stand-alone education programmes not sufficient for level completion and not clearly linked to a wider educational programme currently have no defined place in the ISCED qualifications classification . To illustrate the diversity of micro-credential programmes offered in European higher education institutions, the OECD (2021) published the below table that presents programmes that fit the characteristics of micro-credentials currently offered in some higher education institutions. Courses within programmes typically have the following characteristics…. Programme type Stackable Nationally-recognised certification Professional orientation Educational orientation Statements of study credits in common currency Example programmes from the sample set Individual courses and modules from larger programmes Yes No No Yes Yes Free-standing courses (University of Stockholm), Single-module courses (Munster Technological University), Master's degree modules (Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University) Extension and complementary courses for existing students (may also be offered externally) No No Yes Yes Yes Extension curricula (University of Vienna), Complementary Certificates (University of Geneva), UCL Extend (University of London) Specialisations for the acquisition of specific knowledge and/or skills No No Yes No Yes Specialisation Diploma (University of Seville), Specialisation Courses (University of Porto), Professional Diploma (University College Dublin) Continuing professional development and training courses No No Yes No Yes Permanent training Diploma (Complutense University), Professional continuous training (University of Helsinki), Specialised training (Budapest University of Technology and Economics) Continuing education and lifelong learning courses No No No Yes No Continuous education (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Lifelong learning programme-hobby (Charles University Prague) Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and asynchronous learning programs No No No Yes No MOOCs (Utrecht University), Self-learning (Selbstlern) University of Hagen "Own-brand" degrees and diplomas No No Yes Yes Yes Cerficate universitaire (Lille University), Higher University Course (University of Barcelona) Postgraduate sub-degree programmes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Postgraduate certificate (University of Birmingham), Postgraduados (Lisbon Polytechnic Institiute) Figure 8: OECD research on a sample of 84 European higher education institutions. Source: OECD (2021), Micro-credential innovations in higher education: Who, What and Why? While a good part of micro-credential programmes across Europe make use of the European Credits Transfer System (ECTS) to express the associated study load of the courses, thus allowing common understanding of how much study and workload was required of the learner to achieve the credential, the amount of ECTS is not standardised and can vary a lot between institutions but also within the institutions themselves. The OECD provides here below a useful comparison of identified micro-credential programmes and their associated number of ECTS. The individual courses on offer ranged from 1 ECTS to 60 ECTS (with 60 ECTS being the equivalent of one year of full-time study). Figure 9. Range of ECTS credits for courses within micro-credential programmes across European higher education systems. The size of the bubble indicates the relative number of programmes with each ECTS range Source: OECD research on a sample of 84 European higher education institutions Institutions in a number of European countries offer a structured pathway towards stacking short postgraduate qualifications, with similar ECTS range for each qualification. These qualifications are not always labelled as being micro-credentials within national systems but they have the key characteristics of micro-credentials, being short in duration, targeted to a specific topic, and often more flexible in delivery than longer programmes. An example of these practices can be found in the Flemish Community of Belgium where universities offer a range of postgraduate certificates and postgraduate diploma programmes (typically requiring 30 ECTS and 60 ECTS of study respectively). These programmes may be stacked from certificate to diploma to masters. In the Nordic countries in Europe, higher education institutions share the characteristic to offer a range of different initiatives that can support flexible pathways from single short courses to certifications and higher qualifications. Such educational programmes are often offered by an open university section within higher education institutions to a wider range of learners, with the possibility to stack the credits earned into larger qualifications. These practices form part of a wider framework or tradition in the country. Some of the examples can be found below as described by the OECD (2021) . Caste Study 1: Examples of stackable undergraduate-level short programmes in the Nordic countries In Finland’s Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, the open university of applied sciences section offers students the opportunity to register for individual courses, generally about 5 ECTS in length, or combine the study units into a Path, allowing them to earn 15-30 credits from modules typically offered in the first year of a bachelor’s degree. Open Path students follow the same learning material as students enrolled in the complete bachelor’s programme, commonly attending the same classes and sitting the same assessments. In Sweden, universities may offer a range of “free-standing” courses and programmes. These programmes form part of the continuing education system. Typical study loads for free-standing courses might range between 7.5 and 30 ECTS. Courses are open to learners with a range of motivations, and may provided on a more flexible basis than traditional higher education. For example, in the University of Gothenburg freestanding courses are given continuously during the academic year, in a variety of subjects and levels. Lessons may be in the evening or day-time and can be distance-courses or on-campus. Free-standing courses may be stacked into a degree, if certain conditions are met with regard to complementarity of courses. Credits from courses taken in other Swedish higher education institutions may be transferred to the University of Gothenburg and included in the degree application once the requisite number of credits is reached. In Norway, the University of Oslo (along with other institutions) offers a “one’-year programme” (aarsenhet) of 60 ECTS at the undergraduate level. Students in one-year programmes may study in order to decide whether they like the field of study before committing to a full bachelor’s degree, or in order to deepen their knowledge in their field of work, specialise or retrain. In some fields of study, the one-year program alone can provide a foundation of knowledge for applying for entry-level jobs. Otherwise, the program can be used to gain advanced entry to a bachelor’s degree program in a related subject, or can be counted towards a professional specialisation or qualification. Source: OECD (2021), Micro-credential innovations in higher education: Who, What and Why?, These practices are not limited to the Nordic countries and are spreading in other countries as shown by the example of the Micro-credentials at Dublin City University. Dublin City University (DCU), launched its first stackable and credit-bearing micro-credential. Before this, DCU had to introduce the concept of micro-credentials into its academic regulations and quality assurance processes.

Case study 2: Micro-credentials at Dublin City University (DCU) DCU Business School introduced a short online course called the FinTech – Financial Innovation Micro-credential. It is a 12-week online programme worth 5 ECTS credits at postgraduate level from Dublin City University. The course explores the interaction between finance and technology and its impact on the financial services industry. To qualify for direct entry into this course, learners need to fulfil one or more of the following criteria: -Have several years of experience in financial services or a related sector. -Have completed relevant, accredited Continuing Professional Development learning. -Hold a Level 8 (undergraduate) Honours Degree (2:1) or higher in business, finance, or a related discipline under the Irish national framework. DCU made a strategic move to begin with micro-credentials at postgraduate level. Postgraduate-level courses leading to micro-credentials have the potential to reach learners who are unable to study full-time in class due to personal reasons (e.g. career or family). After the launch of the Common Micro-credential Framework (CMF), Dublin City University entered into a global strategic partnership with FutureLearn to provide its first micro-credential. FutureLearn is a digital education platform founded in December 2012 and jointly owned by The Open University and SEEK Ltd. It is a massive open online course (MOOC) learning platform. All of its online micro-credentials are designed to upskill learners for work in rapidly growing industries, without the time and cost commitment of a full degree. Each micro-credential includes a formal online assessment and meets the standards set by the CMF. By using FutureLearn, higher education institutions gain greater flexibility, because courses can start at any point in time and can attract a global student body. In 2018, DCU started using Digitary, a leading platform for certifying, sharing and verifying academic credentials. The university uses an online document sharing service called Digitary Core, through which students and alumni can access their Diploma Supplement and share academic records with employers and other education providers. Digitary Core guarantees security and is password-protected. The Digitary platform also serves as a useful tool for certifying and issuing micro-credentials, replacing paper documents with digitally signed electronic documents and replacing manual processes with automated ones. The platform enables records to be verified instantly with full learner consent, thus maintaining regulatory compliance and eliminating the hassle of manual verification, and making certificates both secure and less costly. European university alliances act as test beds for innovation in the European higher education area. They lead and pave the way for other higher education institutions to follow. Among them, many plan to develop micro-credentials on a larger scale in order to offer increased innovation in higher education, flexible learning pathways and technology enhanced learning, as well as more inclusive curricula and pedagogies. Case study 3: Some micro-credentials solutions implemented under the European Universities Initiative: European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) ECIU strongly supports the movement supporting micro-credentials. ECIU published white papers in 2020 and 2021 on micro-credentials, setting out their ongoing work on micro-credential development and their future strategy. ECIU’s micro-credentials relate as a core component in their objective to provide personalised, challenge-based learning that harnesses innovative digital technologies. These offerings are underpinned by a Learner Transformation Framework that articulates how we are seeking to develop life-long learners capable of shaping a better future for all. ECIU members have also developed more than 100 micro-modules on topics related to the achievement of the SDGs, available to learners enrolled in their partner universities. ECIU is actively contributing to the development of a range of digital credentials and to ensuring new ways how learners can collect the proofs of their learning outcomes and newly acquired skills in a digital competence passport. ECIU is collaborating with Europass to jointly develop a proof-of-concept for the competence passport that will be validated in large-scale field trials organized by ECIU. Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) YUFE seeks to provide personalised academic curricula that will form the backbone of an equitable, diverse and effective education system that recognises and optimally fosters individual talents. In this context, YUFE will provide students with unique opportunities to be trained in an inclusive research- and work-based learning ecosystem, leading to interdisciplinary and intersectoral knowledge and skills. In line with its goals, YUFE aims to develop an approach to micro-credentials. The main objective of introducing micro-credentials is to promote inclusiveness and expand the benefits of higher education beyond the ‘usual suspects’. YUFE will build a catalogue detailing what member organisations are already doing. This catalogue will help to gain a sense of the various contexts, to gather good practices, and to understand the existing frameworks. This knowledge will allow YUFE to consider these existing frameworks for its own practice. European University for Well-Being (EUniWell) The EUniWell initiative is currently developing micro-credential programmes, with the aim of starting offering pilot programmes in the academic year 2021/22. The programmes will focus on well-being, and seven member institutions will collaborate in the development and delivery of these programmes. The programmes were developed after each member of the EuniWell network reviewed their offering to see how they could contribute to the EuniWell micro-credential programmes, and then subsequently mapped their offering and discussed the structure and content of the programmes. European Civic University (CIVIS) Similarly, the CIVIS initiative plans to offer micro-credential programmes on several topics, including climate change and socio-cultural heritage. Teachers across nine member higher education institutions are invited to submit a micro-credential programme proposal in these areas. Micro-credential programmes can be developed at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and the size of the programmes are expected to be around 5-15 ECTS. Cooperation among the member institutions is required for the approval of the programme proposals, for example, the involvement of lecturers from each institution. In both examples – EuniWell and the European Civic University - micro-credentials will be awarded from the alliance itself, rather than from the individual institution. EuroTeQ Engineering University (EuroTeQ) The EuroTeQ Engineering University is developing micro-credentials and individual study paths for learners that will lead to either a EuroTeQ honours degree, or a “EuroTeQ professional” qualification for learners undertaking professional training and development. Among other initiatives: the European Universities Transforming to an Open Inclusive Academy for 2050 (EUTOPIA) and the Challenge-Driven, Accessible, Research-based and Mobile model for the co-creation of a European University aligned with the European Values, the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (CHARM-EU), the Una Europa alliance are currently discussing or building joint development of micro-credential programmes. 1.3.2.Micro-credentials in Vocational Education and Training (VET) The emerging picture on the use of micro-credentials in Vocational Education and Training (VET) is disparate and varying as VET systems themselves. Nevertheless, there is widening use of short courses leading to awards (that may not necessarily use the term ‘micro-credentials’) by VET providers. Based on the feedback received during a dedicated webinar with members of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training organised on 20 January 2021, micro-credentials seem to have the biggest potential in upskilling and reskilling of adults. In the context of quickly changing and emerging skills needs and the need for upskilling and reskilling, micro-credentials can be an effective tools to supplement initial VET qualifications. Members advised that micro-credentials should not replace initial vocational qualifications. There are however some promising avenues for linking them to initial VET such by increasing flexibility / modularising VET and providing solutions for specific contexts, such as optional parts of initial VET curricula, continuing vocational education and training (C-VET), additional learning opportunities for learners with special needs or those who dropped out from VET, pathways to facilitate permeability between VET and higher education and learning opportunities for continuous professional development of teachers and trainers in VET. Internationally, there has been notable research on the interest in micro-credentials in the Australian VET system which found that micro-credentials are used primarily for regulation and skills maintenance, in areas such as workplace safety, emergency preparedness and authority to operate. These micro-credentials were largely provided by the ‘private’ market (more than 93% of subjects were funded on a fee-for-service basis — with relatively little government intervention). In these cases, employers or the individual is prepared to pay for the training due to a regulatory requirement and this that the training has a recognised value. The examples listed below are taken from Cedefop’s ongoing study on micro-credentials role in facilitating learning for employment : Case Study 4: Micro-credentials in VET 1.Denmark Short vocational training programmes in Denmark (arbejdsmarkeduddannelser – ‘AMU’) is a flexible system which aims at meeting current changes and skills needs for mainly for low skilled and skilled workers on the labour market on the labour market. The programmes are available to everyone who are residents or hold a job in Denmark. However, they mainly target unskilled and skilled workers in employments. In general, there are three main types of programmes directed at: specific job/sector related competences, e.g. crafts, technical insight and knowledge of materials; general competences, e.g. ICT, job relevant languages; personal competences, e.g. social communication, organization and management. AMU micro-credentials are developed based on tripartite cooperation. The certification is always based on assessment. The AMU trainings are included in the Danish Qualifications Framework (level 2-5), and some of them are recognised as part of formal vocational qualifications. The AMU-certificate can be awarded to the individual based on validation. 2.Iceland Micro-credentials are used at RAFMENNT Electrical VET Centre RAFMENNT which is a vocational, educational and training (VET) centre for electricians, electronic technicians in all industries and sectors and technicians in the fields of telecommunication, information technology, audio-visual, broadcasting and the creative industries in Iceland. The centre offers courses for skilled electricians and electronic technicians who have completed their education, either their trade education and/or their trade master education as well as for Telecom, AV, IT, Broadcast and CI technicians. RAFMENNT is also currently developing a health and safety micro-skills programme for the Creative Industries 3.Norway Tripartite industry programmes for skills development (bransjeprogram) are developed as part of the Norwegian Skills Programme. The central government and the social partners work together to increase participation in skills development within selected industries. Ten industry programmes are currently in place which give skilled workers an opportunity for upskilling while in full employment. Most courses are also accessible for furloughed and unemployed workers during the pandemic. Courses are meant to address skills gaps identified by the partners. The courses are offered by providers of initial vocational education, vocational colleges, higher education institutions and others. Some of them result in formal credits, e.g. higher VET credits. Shorter programmes in higher VET: A recent amendment to the Norwegian Act relating to tertiary vocational education allows for shorter programmes at vocational colleges. All programmes and courses will have to be accredited through the usual process, managed by the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education. Shorter programmes will be able respond to industry needs for upskilling, while making further education more accessible for skilled workers. 4.France In France, micro-credentials are discussed in the context of the transformation of the VET system. Although definitions might be lacking, it can be said that the French qualifications structure has embarked on a route that largely accommodates the micro-credential model. Firstly, the philosophy of the reform encourages the development of short training activities/courses that are easily accessible to learners/professionals. The development of skills or qualification portfolios (e-portfolio) initiatives represent tools that would encourage the introduction of micro-credentials. Therefore, there is a potential for micro-credentials to be integrated into this general framework. Secondly, micro-credentials are aligned with the digitalisation movement that is gaining momentum within the French VET system. OpenClassrooms is a French-based online education platform that offers education-to-employment programs and career coaching services for students worldwide. Learners accumulate certificates towards a degree in IT and business topics which are recognised by the French State. Courses are conducted fully online, through a mix of video resources, online reading, real-life projects and individual mentoring sessions. They also have Career Paths, which include weekly, one-on-one mentoring sessions with dedicated professionals from relevant fields who support programme participants throughout their studies. 5.Germany In Germany, there is an ongoing discussion about modularisation and certified training supplements in German VET. The BIBB (Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training) was commissioned by the BMBF (the Federal Ministry of Education and Research) to offer technical and administrative support for research and development studies and projects with regard to modularisation in German VET. Many of those projects built and offered online platforms with digital learning modules. The BIBB, in cooperation with social partners, IHKs (Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce), training providers and VET researchers, developed training modules for more than 30 professions (Germany case study, 2021). 6.Netherlands The Edubadges platform is the digital certificates platform for the Dutch education community. edubadges enable organisations to award students or workers with evidence of knowledge and skills they have acquired. An edubadge is an electronic certificate that provides detailed information on the content of the learning outcomes achieved. It is issued electronically within a secure and trusted SURF platform. Students collect edubadges in their edubadges backpack and can share an edubadge with employers or other educational institutions. Even though the initial experimentation with edubadges took place in the higher education sector, the funding was also allocated for testing edubadges in vocational education and training sector. Micro-credentials are piloted in four VET schools. Two schools (Albeda and mbo Rijnland) issue edubadges to students who did additional work on 21st century skills that were not part of the formal curriculum. It concerned skills such as collaboration and entrepreneurial behaviour. This piloting is in line with a national movement to accredit 21st century skills (in the framework of the KOMPAS21 initiative). In another VET institution, Deltion, they rewarded teachers with micro-credentials for their efforts to work with ICT in their education and especially during COVID-19 times. 7.Lithuania Vilnius Vocational Training Centre of Technologies (VTMC) is a vocational training institution that has concentrated its efforts and is actively modernizing practical training opportunities through modularisation in order to prepare the most demanded engineering, IT and computer, business and financial, and visual technology specialists for the national and international market. To achieve this goal, the centre actively cooperates with business, developing the form of apprenticeship training, developing IT specialist training initiatives. VTMC is licensed to provide 49 formal vocational education programs in secondary education, continuing vocational education (adult education) and of course initial vocational education. Currently, training is provided in three departments of the Center: Energy and Mechatronics, Transport and Business, Information and Visual Technology. More than 700 students study in these departments every year and they are taught by 54 vocational teachers and 22 subject teachers. 8.Finland Two Finnish Schools of Professional Teacher Education together with VET provider Omnia joined forces to create a competence-based professional development programme (PDP) that would support teachers in building working life ICT skills and knowledge. The co-created Learning Online PDP is a gamified, open badge-based course. 1.3.3.Private providers Private companies are investing in learning and training offers, from a number of perspectives, whether as employers to support upskilling and reskilling of staff or as providers of micro-credentials to compete in and respond to demand. The most recently available data from Eurostat showed that in 2015, 70,5 % of companies provided C-VET to their employees. Close to 60% of these training companies assessed the outcomes of C-VET activities (e.g. through certification after written or practical test, satisfaction survey among participants, assessment of participants’ behaviour or performance in relation to training objectives, assessment/measurement of the impact of training on performance within the organisation). However, less than a third of the training companies (30,5 % in 2015) used certification after written or practical test. Data also show that the vast majority of job-related non-formal education and training activities are sponsored by employers: in 2016 the rate of adults in the EU28 participating in non-formal job-related activities sponsored by the employer was 32%, while in the same year the participation rate in non-formal job-related activities not sponsored by employers was 3.9%. The breakdown of providers of non-formal education and training for adults according to the hours spent by participants clearly reflects the short and targeted nature of non-formal training offered by employers. Technology companies are very active in this field thanks to their experience with offering certified trainings for technicians of their own technologies and have continued to develop their own training and certification ecosystems and emerged as alternatives to traditional education and training. Case Study 5: Private providers of micro-credentials 1.Ernst & Young’s (EY) inhouse apprenticeship programme is among the successful initiatives in the UK. They have a micro-credential style targeted skills development programme leading to greater workplace performance. They advertise their Business Academy programme as an alternative route to a university degree. It provides on-the job experience along with business skills sessions, work shadowing and networking 2.Capgemini Nederland is a global company specialised in digital transformation, consulting, and IT services. They provide learning experience both to internal (e.g. employees) and external (e.g. clients) audiences. Capgemini recently launched a new internal digital learning hub called ‘NEXT’, designed to support the upskilling needs of its employees around the world. Capgemini has partnerships with global brands such as Google, Harvard Spark, Pluralsight, ServiceNow, MuleSoft, Adobe, Azure, and TED. 3.The Innovations for Apprenticeship Foundation (FIPA), was initiated by private companies in France in October 2016 to develop and test innovations relating to apprenticeships. The 17 member companies, including EDF, Enedis, Engie, GRDF, Total, Orano, SNCF, Thales, Veolia, Orange, BNP Paribas, Airfrance, Societe Generale, Saint-Gobain, the Adecco Group among others, together represent 47,000 work-study students. The apprentices programme serves as alternative vocational training offered by private companies which focuses on professional reorientation, development of digital skills and promotion of employees during their career (FIPA, 2021). 4.As part of its ‘Engage 2025’ strategy, Orange, the French multinational telecommunications company plans to invest over €1.5 billion to train 100% of its employees in key digital and soft skills by 2025. One of its major skills training initiatives include Orange Campus, an online school offering courses on topics such as data/AI, cybersecurity, management and soft skills. Courses are built along the company's business line expertise and digital platforms and designed with major partners. They provide both basic and advanced modules resulting in specialised expertise and leading to certification or diplomas. With the goal of addressing the digital skills gap in Europe and building a pool of talented workforce, Orange Campus also trains external audiences. To this end, the company has partnered with Microsoft AI school, along with Simplon and the Grande Ecole du Numérique to deliver work related skills training. 5.Ireland: Recognition of micro-credentials in Industry SkillNet Ireland, the Irish agency that supports businesses through enterprise-led workforce development, published a Roadmap on Micro-Credentials in 2020. The publication highlighted that micro-credentials provide a unique mechanism to recognise and develop work-based learning. The roadmap also signalled the position of business and business support agencies as key actors in the Micro-Credential eco-system and supporting industry-focused applied learning. The roadmap also emphasises the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach with engagement from national agencies, industry, education and training providers, and employer and skill development networks. The roadmap outlines mechanisms to engage on micro-credentials in work-based learning across sectors including: ·awareness building and collaboration amongst stakeholders, including establishing a national steering group with a broad range of stakeholders and working to build understanding of the potential of micro-credentials ·capability and competency mapping within organisations, which involves mapping of current continuous professional developed (CPD) provision within Skillnet organisations to help recognise where Micro-Credentials might support a more agile, flexible and stackable approach to training and professional development. ·the funding and piloting of scalable and rapid models of validation and assessment of work-based learning in key sectors, based on of co-design, co-development and co-delivery of micro-credentials. 6.Micro-credential initiatives by Google. In 2020, Google announced that it would remove the requirement for job applicants to have higher education degrees, and launched a range of professional training qualifications that it would treat as equivalent to a degree in its recruitment processes for certain roles. These “Google Career Certificates” are accessible through a Coursera subscription, take approximately six months to complete and are in areas of high employer demand, such as IT Support, Project Management, Data Analytics and UX Design. The career certificates are provided on a not-for-profit basis, and scholarships are available to support access for disadvantaged students. Over half of those pursuing the Google IT Support Professional Certificate do not have a degree. Students are also able to access free resources for career coaching and mock interviews while studying, and following graduation they will be included in a special candidate pool that is visible to the consortium of employers participating in the initiative with Google. Following the 2020 launch of Google Career Certificates in the United States, the program was launched in the United Kingdom in May 2021, as a joint initiative with the Department of Work and Pensions. Google also offers a number of other micro-credentials related to its education software tools and technologies, such as Google Workspace for Education. Its range of teacher training micro-credentials allow teachers using the software to become certified Google for Education Trainers, Innovators or Coaches, on completion of a number of training modules. Source: OECD 2021 innovations in Micro-Credential Development – Who, What and Where?

1.4.Potential benefits of Micro-credentials One of the stated objectives of the European approach to micro-credentials is to deliver on the potential of micro-credentials to support employability and lifelong learning. Lifelong learning refers to ‘all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills/competences and/or qualifications for personal, social and/or professional reasons’. Employability refers to ‘a combination of factors (such as job-specific skills and soft skills) which enable individuals to progress towards or enter into employment, stay in employment and progress during their careers’. Within these broad areas, micro-credentials can support the diversification and tailoring of learning opportunities to support individual learning pathways, they can be used to widen access to education and training to a more diverse range of learners, they can support employability and careers, as well as facilitate recognition and understanding of skills developed in non-formal and informal settings, and stimulate inclusivity in a manner that is both sustainable and equitable across Europe. These benefits and others are highlighted in the table below: Figure 10: Overview of Stakeholder Benefits Source : (2021). The global micro-credential landscape: Charting a new credential ecology for lifelong learning. Participation in lifelong learning is associated with positive social outcomes, such as improved health, enhanced social inclusion39 thus contributing to the well-being of society. An effective culture of lifelong learning can only be achieved by making learning more attractive and more accessible and the cross-section of stakeholders and actors involved in learning and employment have a role to play in developing this culture. Micro-credentials can enable flexible, personalised, relevant and on-demand learning that complements and supplements traditional education and training and equips people with the knowledge, skills and competences to adapt to life and work in an evolving society. Micro-credentials have the potential to increase personalised learning opportunities for all. Micro-credentials are at the service of the full educational and professional development of individuals. Micro-credentials can be designed to expose learners of all ages to an area of study or employment and be used to demonstrate their commitment to learning and growing in a field. They can help widen learning opportunities; strengthen the role of higher education and VET institutions; and engage employers, social partners and non-formal learning providers, in promoting lifelong learning through more flexible and modular learning opportunities. An ETF survey of education, training and labour market stakeholders from non-EU countries (primarily ETF members) identified the following benefits of micro-credentials: ·Micro-credentials have immediate relevance to the labour market demand (linked to specific skills/ competences; address a specific work need; responsive to changes in the labour market; enable quick access to work; bridge the gap between formal education qualifications and specific industry or workplace requirements); ·Micro-credentials support individual learning (focused on specific learner needs; learners can progress at their own pace; an easy way to accumulating learning in small pieces; stackable towards a qualification; facilitating access to formal education); ·Micro-credentials have standalone value (MC is a meaningful part of a qualification or a complementary/ supplementary award that can have a meaning at the labour market; adding value to formal education qualification); ·Micro-credentials facilitate recognition of individual’s skills, knowledge and competences (facilitating formalization and portability of individual’s skills and competences; improving the visibility of lifelong learning; facilitate recognition of learning achievements acquired outside formal education; allow to represent mastery/ more advanced skill level; digital visibility); ·Micro-credentials facilitate the design of flexible training (less efforts to design; allow to learn on demand as and when one needs); ·Micro-credentials are cost and time saving (short duration of learning; affordable for those paying for themselves). Flexibility Learning leading to micro-credentials offer flexible options that fit into an active life that can be accommodated, and indeed supported, within working life and can help to overcome contextual barriers and socio-demographic factors that influence learners’ decisions to undertake and successfully complete learning (e.g. costs, family obligations, geographic location, differences in learning cultures, labour market conditions, and language). According to the 4 stakeholder group surveys, conducted as part of Cedefop’s ongoing study on micro-credentials role in facilitating learning for employment , respondents representing employers (73%) identified flexibility as the most important benefit of micro-credentials being more suited for upskilling and reskilling of employees. Respondents representing employees indicated the relevance of their content to the labour market needs (48.5%) and the fast response to the needs of employers (42.4%) as most important.

Inclusion Micro-credentials can also be used as part of targeted measures to support inclusion and accessibility to education and training to a wider range of learners, including vulnerable groups (such as people with disabilities, low-qualified/skilled persons, minorities, people with migrant background and people with fewer opportunities because of their geographical location and/or their social-economically disadvantaged situation). Relevant, accessible and well-designed offers of micro-credentials could offer those usually excluded from traditional learning pathway into education and training, the labour market and society to grow in it. Micro-credentials could be used to support improved access for learners who do have the resources or time to commit to a full time education and training. Micro-credentials can also be used as part of targeted measures to tackle gender stereotypes and other forms of discrimination, to ease transition from secondary to tertiary education, and offer training opportunities to new types of learners The Rome Ministerial communiqué adopted in November 2020 by the 49 European Higher Education Area (EHEA) countries, identified micro-credentials as a conduit for “creating a supportive environment…that enables higher education institutions to tailor education provision to the needs of different types of learners (lifelong learners, part-time learners, learners from under-represented and disadvantaged groups) and to build a culture for equity and inclusion”. The Commission action does not claim or represent micro-credentials as an alternative or single solution to issues of inclusiveness, lifelong learning or employability. There is a risk that micro-credentials may perpetuate and even deepen existing inequities of access to upskilling and reskilling if they are not integrated in a holistic, inclusive way across education, training and labour market systems. Evidence from the OECD shows that micro-credentials do not yet serve a tool to improve representation in traditional higher education: “One of the main challenges of existing higher education micro-credentials is that they are taken up in greater numbers by learners who have already achieved higher education, have greater financial resources and access to better support systems. In Europe, evidence suggests that short non-degree learning programmes offered by higher education institutions are rarely targeted at supporting increased participation in higher education, with the notable exception of the Nordic countries. Yet, well-designed micro-credential policies have considerable potential to lead to more equitable higher education participation, and could support improved outcomes for learners.” Micro-credentials should be used to complement and enhance associated policies and actions support lifelong learning and employability so that leaners from all groups of society can access their benefits. Micro-credentials should be seen as complementary, and indeed supplemental, to existing education, training as well as being valid and valuable stand-alone units of learning themselves. Traditional credentials remain a cornerstone for learning and employability however they can be complemented and supplemented by micro-credentials enabling lifelong learning. Micro-credentials also need an environment that guarantees their proper understanding and recognition so that they can produce their desired effects. Case study 6: micro-credentials to support refugees’ access to higher education Kiron Open Higher Education (Kiron) is a Germany-based non-profit edtech organization promoting the use of digital solutions in higher education to enable free access to higher education and successful learning for refugees worldwide. Integrating refugees into higher education systems has emerged as a new challenge. Kiron, a non-profit edtech organisation founded in 2015, promotes the use of digital solutions in higher education to enable access to higher education and successful learning for refugees worldwide. In order to overcome the barriers refugees face, they can start studying with Kiron regardless of their asylum status, mobility restrictions, their knowledge of the language in their host country or high tuition fees of universities by participating in a free online study program based on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). After providing a document that proves a refugee or asylum seeker status, they can register and start their studies on Kiron’s learning platform Kiron Campus. Students enrol in one of five study tracks or benefit from preparatory courses to refresh their basic skills, and receive support through a range of additional services with the ultimate aim to transfer to a regular offline study program at one of Kiron’s partner universities with Kiron credits recognised. Students can receive a maximum of 60 ECTS credits (equivalent to a workload of one full-time study year) in case they enrol in Kiron’s partner universities. The extent to which institutions will offer micro-credentials depends on the available sources of funding to invest in their development. Governments can further support the development and uptake of micro-credential programmes by providing targeted funding to institutions and learners and providing financial incentives to employers. Case study 7: Strategic funding in Ireland dedicated to the development of micro-credentials and the Multi-Campus Micro-Credentials The Irish Ministry for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has announced in October 2020 the award of over €30 million in free and subsidised higher education places under the Jobs Stimulus package to help get people back to work, upskill workers and build economic confidence while continuing to manage the impact of COVID-19. The funding will support the provision of 11,597 places on short, modular courses together with an additional 2,555 postgraduate places. The 2,555 postgraduate places are on 207 existing courses in 23 public and private higher education institutions. The places are available on courses in a wide range of skills areas, including Data Analytics, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Tourism and Hospitality, ICT & Health and welfare including Medical Technology. Modular courses are short and focused and offered in a flexible manner, allowing people to gain important skills without taking a considerable period away from the labour market. Each module is stand-alone so that participants can gain skills and put them into practice immediately in the workplace, but modules are also accredited in such a way as to provide building blocks to a full qualification should the student so wish. These 538 modular courses across a broad range of subjects in 32 higher education institutions, represent a new route into lifelong learning, and provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for those who need it, while ensuring that they remain close to the labour market. Ireland is also providing strategic funding dedicated to the development of a national approach to micro-credentials including the MC2 initiative, among other institutional micro-credentialing initiatives funded through the Irish Government's Human Capital Initiative: In 2020, the IUA was awarded a five years grant of €12.3 million from the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) to establish a Multi-Campus Micro-Credentials (MC2) system. The MC2 project involves a consortium of 7 Irish Universities led by Irish Universities Association (IUA) and has 4 key deliverable strands: Strand 1: Development of a National Framework for micro-credentials. Strand 2: Creation of a dynamic and sustainable model of enterprise engagement for micro-credentials. Strand 3: Design and development of a digital Discovery Platform for accredited micro-credentials, linked to a digital credentialing solution. The on-line portal will drive awareness of, and support learner access to micro-credentials and stacked micro-credential pathways. Strand 4: Agilely developed and flexibly delivered suite of micro-credentials across the partner universities. 2. Problem Definition The overview of provision of micro-credentials described in the preceding section portrays a rapidly growing, diverse landscape of providers and approaches. There are many open questions and the general acceptance and use of micro-credentials is not yet established which limits their potential to support flexible learning and career pathways. Currently, there is an absence of transparent standards for quality and no common definition for micro-credentials which creates uncertainty about the value, quality, recognition, transparency and portability of micro-credentials. This section elaborates these issues and highlights the real need for shared meaning and mechanisms to promote trust in micro-credentials. 2.1.Lack of definition Despite increasing global interest in micro-credentials, the lack of a shared definition is currently perceived as the most substantial barrier to further development and uptake of micro-credentials . The status of micro-credentials is unclear in many countries as they are positioned as being alternative or supplementary to traditional qualifications such as degrees and the term is poorly understood amongst educators, employers and the public. There is no global consensus on the use or meaning of the term ‘micro-credential’ (Brown, et al., 2021) partly because the field is still rapidly evolving and subject to constant change as new initiatives and priorities emerge. As noted by the OECD : Despite an increasing volume of these new credentials, great uncertainty persists. Definitions and taxonomies to structure these new credentials have not been widely agreed. The extent of their offer remains uncertain, evidence of their impacts is scant, and the response of governments to these new offerings has not been systematically documented.

(Kato, Galán-Muros & Weko, 2020, p.7) The fact that there is no established shared or common definition for micro-credentials is a critical issue for the positioning of micro-credentials including their design, implementation and perceived value by learners and stakeholders. Figure 11: Types of Educational Credentials. Several other labels and descriptors are commonly used in the literature instead of (or interchangeably) with the term micro-credential (e.g., digital badges, open badges, online certificates, alternative credentials, nano-degrees, micro-masters, modular qualifications). The conflation in some publications between the concept of a micro-credential and an open digital badge adds to this confusion and gave rise to methodological challenges in the research design. Particular conceptual issues arise in differentiating and understanding the relationship between micro-credentials and traditional qualifications. Formal qualifications, such as degrees and diplomas issued by higher education institutions or VET institutions, have been a key feature of the credentials landscape for centuries. Such qualifications are sometimes referred to in the literature as macro-credentials. These qualifications are issued securely by an accredited institution, and traditionally on paper, parchment or digital formats. They are obtained over extended periods of time following the successful completion of a course or programme, usually by aggregating grades and ratings obtained in response to assessment tasks in components with different names (such as courses, units or subjects) . Figure 12: Micro-credentials, What-Why Source : OECD (2021), Micro-credential innovations in higher education: Who, What and Why? Internationally, the definition of micro-credentials varies significantly depending on who is using the term and in what context. Nevertheless, while definitions may diverge, common factors can be found such as being smaller in volume, more targeted and more flexible than traditional credentials as seen in the sample of definitions included below: Source Definition State University of New York Micro-credentials verify, validate, and attest that specific skills and/or competencies have been achieved. They differ from traditional degrees and certificates in that they are generally offered in shorter or more flexible timespans and tend to be more narrowly focused. New Zealand Qualifications Authority A micro-credential certifies achievement of a coherent set of skills and knowledge; and is specified by a statement of purpose, learning outcomes, and strong evidence of need by industry, employers, iwi and/or the community. They are smaller than a qualification and focus on skill development opportunities not currently catered for in the regulated tertiary education system. EUA A micro-credential is a small volume of learning certified by a credential. MicroHE Consortium Sub-unit of a credential or credentials that could accumulate into a larger credential or be part of a portfolio. Examples are: Verified Certificates, Digital Badges, MicroMasters, and Nanodegrees The International Council for Open and Distance Education A credential issued for a relatively small learning project that consists of several modules in a given subject Digital promise Micro-credentials provide competency-based recognition for the skills educators learn in both formal and informal settings.” Bloomboard Micro-credentials are a form of micro-certification earned by proving competence in one specific skill at a time, via a portfolio of evidence, created through classroom practice. QS A micro–credential is a sector-endorsed short course that provides the recipient with specialist skills. Figure 13: selected definitions of micro-credentials Source: OECD (2021), Micro-credential innovations in higher education: Who, What and Why? Further common characteristics are captured in the graphic below: Figure 14: In brief: Micro-credentials now Source: Oliver, B. (2019) Making micro-credentials work: for learners, employers and providers, Deakin University In the face of this reality, clarifying what is meant by a micro-credential is critical. Importantly, many of these so-called alternative or supplementary credentials which might meet the definition of a micro-credential can serve different purposes, are awarded by different types of organisations, are based on different standards or professional frameworks, and come under different quality assurance processes. The variation and open questions on the definition of micro-credentials within these different contexts mirrors and contributes to the current challenges and barriers to the further development and adoption of micro-credentials, including a lack of trust, lack of transparency and lack of uptake as elaborated in the following sections.

2.2.Lack of trust Despite the growing number of diverse alternative credentials, and enthusiasm among learners and stakeholders, the lack of common understanding leads to a general lack of trust in micro-credentials and the associated learning outcomes. There are increasing concerns about micro-credentials due to the lack of a commonly agreed definition (discussed above in 3.1) and employers, learners and education and training institutions alike lack information and certainty on the reliability, quality and authenticity of micro-credentials emerging from diverse providers. Preliminary findings from the ongoing Cedefop study on micro-credentials role in facilitating learning for employment found a high percentage of distrust in micro-credentials among national authorities, VET providers, employer and employee organisations due to the fact that micro-credentials are a new, unknown form of credential and there is uncertainty of the added value, recognition and use of micro-credentials. A key consideration for the European approach to micro-credentials is to identify the policy measures and actions necessary to help individuals, education and training providers, employers and policy-makers to trust micro-credentials. The establishment of standards is key to facilitating individuals, education and training providers, employers and policy-makers to understand the value of micro-credentials and their contribution to lifelong learning, mobility and employability in a European labour market context. Ensuring employers’ trust in the value of micro-credentials is a key policy challenge. Their potential for supporting end-users needs to be further explored, as does the extent to which they are prominent in vocational education and training (VET) and work-based learning. Cedefop’s ongoing study on micro-credentials role in facilitating learning for employment found that employers most trust micro-credentials that lead to nationally recognised qualifications (87,5%). Nevertheless, the same study found that despite the perceived lack of trust in micro-credentials, organisations representing employees somewhat agree (50%) that employees in their sectors would benefit from a wider uptake of micro-credentials for training and continuous professional development. 2.3.Lack of transparency The diversity of formats and providers of micro-credentials limits the ability of learners, employers and education and training institutions to engage with and understand micro-credentials. There are no commonly used approaches, reference tools or guidance available to understand the nature and content of micro-credential and the possibility to share and authenticate micro-credentials easily. There is no single or shared approach to describing key elements including the learning achievements, the workload to earn the micro-credential, the status of the awarding body, the form of assessment, or the type of quality under pinning the micro-credential. This situation immediately limits the possibility to recognise and understand micro-credentials in an effective and efficient way; and the portability, validation and stacking of micro-credentials between and within countries, education and training sectors, and on the labour market is seriously inhibited. This situation will deter employers, education and training institutions and other recipients of micro-credentials from accepting and processing micro-credentials due to the perceived extra workload required to understand the micro-credentials. As such, micro-credentials are not yet standardised to be a currency in the labour market or education and training systems. Consequently, learners will not be motivated or incentivised to complete micro-credentials (see Lack of Uptake below in 3.4). Some publications have advocated for the creation of National Qualification Frameworks or the accommodation of micro-credentials within the same however there are differing views as to whether including micro-credentials in NQFs and qualifications systems is compatible with the need to ensure the flexibility and responsiveness of micro-credentials. A further important consideration for transparency of micro-credentials is a perceived lack of digital solutions for issuing, storing, sharing and authentication micro-credentials in a secure way. Technological solutions are key to enabling the portability and potential to ‘stack’ micro-credentials. There are numerous established and emerging technological solutions including Blockchain, electronic wallets, open badges and digital credential systems which can be potentially leveraged to support portability of micro-credentials. These systems are already being explored within education, training and labour market systems, including for traditional qualifications. There are numerous open questions on the feasibility and use of technology and also an inherent risk that if Member States, providers and other stakeholders begin to use differing technological solutions and technical standards this will in fact limit the portability and easy exchange of information on micro-credentials (an issue which already exists in the case of traditional qualifications). A further issue is that micro-credentials are not identified in data collection at EU or other levels, including educational attainment surveys, labour force or other surveys meaning there is currently limited data on the impact and economic and social benefits of micro-credentials. Future analysis of learner impact needs to consider both the individual and longer-term societal benefits of micro-credentials but of course this dependent on there being a coherent, shared understanding of micro-credentials that can be incorporated within data collection, skills intelligence analysis and research. As micro-credentials become more prolific and widespread, there will be a need to collect better information, in a standard format will enable better research and analysis. Ensuring that information about micro-credentials is transparent and informative will build trust among learners and employers and facilitate the uptake of micro-credentials. 2.4.Lack of uptake The combined effect of the issues described above regarding definition, trust and transparency mean that while there has been notable, enthusiastic interest in micro-credentials there is not yet wide and inclusive acceptance, awareness and uptake of micro-credentials by learners . There are uncertainties about the value and benefits of micro-credentials for their personal and professional lives and learners need to be better informed about the availability and nature of micro-credentials. Learners are not likely to sign up for new and relatively unknown credential unless they can reasonably expect a return on investment in the form of higher pay, greater job mobility, etc. But if employers don't understand a new credential, they won't reward it. The lack of understanding by employers of the value of micro-credentials may therefore discourage learners from taking up micro-credentials. The European approach to micro-credentials should work to address this awareness gap and deliver on the full potential of micro-credentials to meet the needs of people. Future uptake of micro-credentials will also be dependent on availability of information and guidance on micro-credentials and their outcomes. Information and guidance on identifying and selecting micro-credentials, including information on possible outcomes, will need to be incorporated within lifelong guidance services that help people with their career and learning choices. This should include university career centres, public employment services (PES), private employment services, social services and other guidance services for employment, self-employment, education and training, and coaching to meet the needs of widest possible learner groups, including from the most vulnerable groups. The recently published OECD report Micro-credential innovations in higher education: Who, What and Why? exposes that “In most countries, learners do not yet have a trusted source of public information that permits them to compare systematically the key features of micro-credentials offered by higher education institutions (or, indeed, other providers)”. The publication cites examples in the United States of a voluntary and foundation-supported initiative, called Credential Engine, has sought to build a credential registry “to house information about all credentials, a common description language to enable credential comparability, and a platform to support customized applications to search and retrieve information about credentials” and an initiative in Australia to create a one-stop-shop online marketplace for micro-credentials to provide a nationally consistent platform to help students compare among micro-credentials using common criteria such as course outcomes, duration, mode of delivery and credit point value. The same OECD report reflects on aspects of information that could potentially be of use to learners, when making decisions on choosing micro-credentials, as well as stakeholders. It may not be feasible to systematically gather information about labour market outcomes associated with the acquisition of micro-credentials but other means of assessing the value of the micro-credential such as a public rating system (from verified learners) could provide worthwhile information to people considering options. Learners may be best placed to report on their perceived value and experiences with using the micro-credential in the labour market or for further education. Information on micro-credentials must be presented in a more dynamic form than traditional catalogues of learning, which might only be updated in line with academic cycles, to support learners looking to plan their career and next steps. High-quality public information portals on micro-credentials will need effective and efficient ways of collecting and aggregating data from providers.

3.Available feedback from target and open consultations on the envisaged measures This chapter presents an outline of the consultation strategy and a synopsis of key findings from the Open Public Consultation (OPC) and targeted stakeholder events that took place in the context of the wider Stakeholder Consultation Strategy. 3.1.Outline of the consultation strategy The European Commission’s Consultation Strategy consisted of three main activities: collection of feedback on the Roadmap, followed by an Open public Consultation and a number of targeted stakeholder events involving all important stakeholder groups. From 19 February to 19 March 2021, the European Commission collected feedback on its Roadmap. The Roadmap aimed to inform citizens and stakeholders about the Commission's ongoing work on micro-credentials, in order to receive their feedback and participation in future consultation activities. The Roadmap described the issue, objectives to be met, why EU action is needed, and the main features of the Consultation Strategy. Citizens and stakeholders were invited to provide views on the Commission's understanding of the problem and possible solutions, and also to contribute any relevant information they may have. Feedback was collected via the European Commission’s dedicated website. A 12-week Open Public Consultation on micro-credentials was launched on 20 April 2021, through which stakeholders and the general public were consulted on the scope of the proposed European approach to micro-credentials initiative and were able to provide feedback using an interactive survey questionnaire. This questionnaire was made available on the Have Your Say portal of the European commission. Responses were collected until the formal closing date on 13 July 2021. In total, 508 respondents completed the survey, and 92 additional documents were uploaded. After collecting initial feedback from experts in the field, targeted consultations events were conducted from the second half of 2020 to summer of 2021 to ensure the participation of all interested stakeholders and citizens. In addition to gathering perspectives on the scope of the proposed European approach to micro-credentials, the OPC and targeted stakeholder events sought to inform and gather the views of Member States (MS), the public and other stakeholders on the working definition of micro-credentials and set of core elements of European standards around the main building blocks of the initiative. 3.2.Analysis of results across different consultation activities The European Commission started consultations in 2020 in order to gather stakeholders’ views on a European approach to micro-credentials. The consultations carried out so far in 2020 and 2021 aimed at achieving a working definition of micro-credentials and a set of core elements of European standards around the main building blocks of the initiative, mainly: quality assurance, recognition, the possibility to combine (or stack) micro-credentials, links to national qualifications frameworks, storage and portability. This chapter presents a synopsis of key findings from feedback provided on the Commission’s Roadmap, Open Public Consultation (OPC) a