This document discusses quality assurance of micro-credentials in three parts: 1) External quality assurance of micro-credentials varies between countries, with some having no standards and others applying existing standards. 2) Institutional quality assurance of micro-credentials requires strategies for program development, delivery, support and evaluation. Quality analytics are important to evaluate learner engagement and outcomes. 3) Institutional supports like guidelines, benchmarking tools, and country-specific frameworks can enhance quality assurance of micro-credentials.

1. 2nd June 2023
Professor Mark Brown &
Dublin City University &
Photo by Ciprian Boiciuc on Unsplash
Professor Josep M. Duart
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

2. Survey of 510 US employers
https://upcea.edu/employers-are-all-in-on-microcredentials-survey-shows-inside-higher-ed/
Micro-credentials and Quality Assurance

3. Micro-credentials and Quality Assurance

4. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/digital-higher-education_f622f257-en
(How) do the quality
assurance principles apply to
micro-credentials?
OECD, 2022
Micro-credentials and Quality Assurance

5. External QA of micro-credentials
Institutional QA of micro-credentials
Institutional supports to enhance quality
Outline

6. 2023
Before we start…
https://jime.open.ac.uk/
2023

7. https://eden-europe.eu/event/eden-2023-annual-conference-in-dublin/
#EDEN2023

8. 1. External QA of micro-credentials
Ireland
https://microbol.microcredentials.eu/outputs/
2021

9. https://www.enqa.eu/events/online-dissemination-event-external-quality-assurance-of-micro-credentials-27-september-2022/
1. External QA of micro-credentials

10. Yes
NA
2022
https://www.enqa.eu/events/online-dissemination-event-external-quality-assurance-of-micro-credentials-27-september-2022/
1. External QA of micro-credentials

11. 1
In 25+ countries, we found no national framework, standards or guidelines for micro-credentials. In many
cases, however, there is evidence of a plan or commitment in the future to integrating quality assurance standards
for micro-credentials within existing requirements.
No specific quality assurance standards for micro-credentials
1. External QA of micro-credentials

12. 1
In 25+ countries, we found no national framework, standards or guidelines for micro-credentials. In many
cases, however, there is evidence of a plan or commitment in the future to integrating quality assurance standards
for micro-credentials within existing requirements.
2
In Australia, Canada (x3), United Kingdom, Estonia, Spain (x2) and The Netherlands we found
common standards already apply for micro-credentials, and tangible evidence of a decision to extend the
application of existing standards for their quality assurance.
No specific quality assurance standards for micro-credentials
Common standards and quality assurance processes apply for micro-credentials
1. External QA of micro-credentials

13. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/post-secondary-education/micro-credentials/mc_framework.pdf
1. External QA of micro-credentials

14. https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-publications/resources/national-microcredentials-framework
2022
Older Newer
1. External QA of micro-credentials

15. 1. External QA of micro-credentials
Germany
Spain

16. 1
In 25+ countries, we found no national framework, standards or guidelines for micro-credentials. In many
cases, however, there is evidence of a plan or commitment in the future to integrating quality assurance standards
for micro-credentials within existing requirements.
2
In Australia, Canada (x3), United Kingdom, Estonia, Spain (x2) and The Netherlands we found
common standards already apply for micro-credentials, and tangible evidence of a decision to extend the
application of existing standards for their quality assurance.
3
In New Zealand, Malaysia and Ireland we identified a framework or specific standards or guidelines for
micro-credentials to address particular issues related to their quality assurance.
No specific quality assurance standards for micro-credentials
Common standards and quality assurance processes apply for micro-credentials
Specific standards and quality assurance processes developed for micro-credentials
1. External QA of micro-credentials

17. https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/About-us/Publications/Insights/rationale-for-micro-credentials/Aotearoa-New-Zealands-rationale-for-micro-credentials.pdf
1. External QA of micro-credentials

18. • Management, Staffing and
Administration
• Teaching, Learning and
Assessment
• Participant support
• Facilities
• Premises and facilities in the
case of face-to-face delivery
Standards and Indicators
https://www.the-bac.org/micro-credentials-pilot-scheme/
1. External QA of micro-credentials

19. 2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

20. https://www.microcredseeker.edu.au
343
11
12
20/03/2023
93% Online
2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

21. 2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

22. https://cdn.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/4137924/Micro-Credential-Framework.pdf
2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

23. On-campus = 0
Hybrid = 0
Online = 150
Blended = 95
2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials
30/05/2023 https://microcreds.ie/

24. https://www.tcd.ie/teaching-learning/academic-affairs/postgraduate-education/microcredentials/§
QC ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊
2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

25. • No careers guidance
• No course quality rating
• No learner support information
• No quality assurance information
• No employability outcomes data
2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

26. Plan and Adjust
• Institutional leadership
• Organisational structures
• Business models and
resource allocation
• Policies, regulations &
pathways, including for
online delivery outside of
country
• IT Systems and platforms
- Flexible enrolment
- LMS/VLE
- Digital badging/certificate
Implement Monitor
• Internal approval processes
• Appropriate workload
models
• Professional learning and
support for MC
development
• Peer review of learning
design
• Appropriate assessment
and learner feedback
strategies
• Study disclosure and
learner readiness for
success
Quality Assurance Processes
and Supports
Strategy, Quality Culture and
Infrastructure
Feedback and Performance
Reporting
• Learning analytics data on
student engagement
• Retention, progression and
completion data
• Student experience data
• Employer satisfaction data
• Meets professional
accreditation requirements
• Graduate employment data
• Cyclic institutional review of
micro-credential offerings
2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

27. Specific QA issues for online [MCs]
Organisational context
• Business continuity
• Access to IT infrastructure
• Learners outside of country
Programme context
• Online teaching experience
• Training and professional development
• Synchronous vs asynchronous delivery
Learner context
• Learner readiness
• Access to online resources
• Equivalency of learning support
2. Institutional QA of micro-credentials

28. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/microcredentialtoolkit/
2022
3. Institutional supports to enhance quality assurance

29. https://www.qaa.ac.uk/the-quality-code/characteristics-statements/micro-credentials
3. Institutional supports to enhance quality assurance

30. 3. Institutional supports to enhance quality assurance
https://zenodo.org/record/6483288#.Y2JT7C8w3Up
2022

31. https://www.nuffic.nl/en/subjects/recognition-projects/the-micro-evaluator
3. Institutional supports to enhance quality assurance

32. EUROPEAN STANDARDS AND
GUIDELINES
GUIDES AND BENCHMARKING TOOLS
FOR ENHANCING QUALITY
COUNTRY SPECIFIC QUALITY
FRAMEWORKS AND GUIDELINES
Final remarks

33. https://www.inqaahe.org/international-standards-and-guidelines-quality-assurance-higher-education-isgs
Final remarks

34. Thank you
Professor Mark Brown
Director, National Institute for Digital Learning
Dublin City University
Ireland
mark.brown@dcu.ie
LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/mark-brown-dcu
No Twitter Account by Choice
Professor Josep M. Duart
Psychology and Education Sciences Department
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Spain
jduart@uoc.edu
Contact details…