Invited presentation at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, 9th July, 2023.

1. 9th June 2023
Professor Mark Brown
Dublin City University
Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

2. Where is the magic?
How to execute a transformative strategy?
Why might we encounter bundles of trouble?
The Magic of Micro-credentials

3. Before we start…

4. 88%
Before we start…

5. Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

6. Photo by David Marcu on Unsplash
Older Newer
1. Where is the magic?

7. 500,000 Canadians annually seek to complete St. John’s certificates
Since 1833
1. Where is the magic?
TWIG, 2021

8. 1. Where is the magic?

9. 1. Where is the magic?

10. (Presant , 2022)
1. Where is the magic?

11. 1. Where is the magic?
https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/default/files/document-library-docs/european-approach-micro-credentials-higher-education-consultation-group-output-final-report.pdf

12. ‘Micro-credential’ means the record of the learning outcomes that a learner
has acquired following a small volume of learning. These learning outcomes
will have been assessed against transparent and clearly defined criteria.
Learning experiences leading to micro-credentials are designed to provide the
learner with specific knowledge, skills and competences that respond to
societal, personal, cultural or labour market needs. Micro-
credentials are owned by the learner, can be shared and are portable. They
may be stand-alone or combined into larger credentials.
They are underpinned by quality assurance following agreed standards in
the relevant sector or area of activity (European Commission, 2022).
1. Where is the magic?

13. 1. Where is the magic?
13.6%
Ireland
18.9%
Slovenia

14. 1. Where is the magic?

15. 1. Where is the magic?

16. 1. Where is the magic?

17. 1. Where is the magic?

18. 1. Where is the magic?

19. 1. Where is the magic?

20. 1. Where is the magic?

21. 1. Where is the magic?

22. Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash
Loss of the Sheepskin Effect
1. Where is the magic?

23. 1. Where is the magic?

24. 1. Where is the magic?

25. Equity
SDGS
(Brown et al., 2021)
1. Where is the magic?

26. Drivers Attractors
Micro-
credential
Force Field
Analysis
Future
of Work
Increase
Employability
New
Revenue
Skill
Gaps
Lifelong
Learning
Restraining
Force 1
•Example text
•Fill in your own
•Example text
Online
Learning
Restraining Force 1
•Example text
•Fill in your own
•Example text
Value
of CPD
COVID
Crisis
Knowledge Economy Knowledge Society
Why?
1. Where is the magic?

27. Where do they fit?
Credit-bearing
or not?
Stackable
or not?
Size?
Cost?
1. Where is the magic?

28. Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

29. https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/About-us/Publications/Insights/rationale-for-micro-credentials/Aotearoa-New-Zealands-rationale-for-micro-credentials.pdf
Does not include
universities
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

30. 2022
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

31. €12m
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

32. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

33. Key questions for institutions…
• What type of leadership is required?
• What type of structures are required?
• What type of business models are required?
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

34. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
“Get the right people on the bus
and in the right seats”
(Clayton Christensen, 2015)
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

35. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

36. “We found that effective
leaders listen,
link, leverage
and then
lead,
in that order”
(Fullan & Scott, 2009, p. 97).
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

37. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

38. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

39. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

40. Who provides governance? Photo by Benjamin Child on Unsplash
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

41. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

42. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

43. • Mainstreams
• Part of normal work
• Strong alignment to
macro-credentials
NEW
STRUCTURES
WEAKNESSE
S
ESTABLISH A PROFESSIONAL AND
CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT
WHAT ARE
YOUR
OPTIONS?
S O
W T
CREATE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE
STANDALONE BUSINESS UNIT
INCORPORATE INTO A CENTRAL DIGITAL
EDUCATION SUPPORT UNIT
INTEGRATE INTO THE NORMAL FACULTY
STRUCTURES AND DELIVERY MODEL
STRENGTHS
CURRENT
STRUCTURES
• Less flexibility
• Added workload
• Limited disruption
to normal
business
• Greater coordination
• Builds on current
expertise
• Reduced burden
placed on academic
staff
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSE
S
• Less flexibility
• Added workload
• Limited disruption
to normal
business
• Specialist services
• Clear business owner
• Common business and
resource allocation
model
WEAKNESSE
S
STRENGTHS
• Faculty disconnect
• Leveraging industry
links
• Weaker nexus between
research and teaching
• Greater flexibility
• Adopts a commercial
business model
• Easier to establish
return on investment
WEAKNESSE
S
STRENGTHS
• Little cross subsidisation
• Outside of normal
business
• Loss of academic
ownership
H3 Innovation
H1 Innovation
H1 Innovation
H2 Innovation
How do you decide?
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?
(Brown, 2022)

44. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

45. 2. How to execute a transformative strategy?
https://www.eciu.eu

46. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/micro-credentials-for-lifelong-
learning-and-employability_9c4b7b68-en
OECD, 2023
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

47. 2023
https://jime.open.ac.uk/
2023
2. How to execute a transformative strategy?

48. Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

49. Looking for lost sheep…
Photo by Christian Bass on Unsplash
Photo by Ben Stein on Unsplash
• Calculating the
real costs
• Failure to address
the demand-side
• Gaps in quality
assurance
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?
• Limited
evidence of the
benefits
• Challenge of
navigating
entangled
discourses

50. Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash
Costs
Direct
Indirect
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

51. 3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

52. https://www.microcredseeker.edu.au
343
11
12
20/03/2023
93% Online
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

53. On-campus = 0
Hybrid = 0
Online = 150
Blended = 95
30/05/2023 https://microcreds.ie/
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

54. 3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

55. Survey of 510 US employers
https://upcea.edu/employers-are-all-in-on-microcredentials-survey-shows-inside-higher-ed/
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

56. 3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

57. 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
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

58. Specific QA issues for online [MCs]
Includes
M
icro-credentials
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
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

59. • No careers guidance
• No course quality rating
• No learner support information
• No quality assurance information
• No employability outcomes data
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

60. 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
• Availability of learning support
and library resources
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
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

61. 2023
(Hollands & Kazi, 2019)
6%
pay rise
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

62. A data desert!
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

63. “Microcredentialing is an outgrowth of
the neoliberal learning economy. In
this economy, education resembles a
commodity, a product, or service
marketed and sold like any other
commodity” (p. 2).
3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

64. 3. Why we might encounter bundles of trouble?

65. Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

66. “Micro-credentials
should be in the service of
big ideas,
not as a big idea
in itself”
(adapted from Barnett, 2011)

67. https://www.dcu.ie/nidl/micro-credential-observatory

68. Thank you
Professor Mark Brown
Director, National Institute for Digital Learning
Dublin City University
Ireland
mark.brown@dcu.ie
Contact details…