2. In Europe, people need to continually update their knowledge,
skills and competences to fill the gap between their education
and training and the demands of a rapidly changing labour
market.
The COVID-19 crisis has led to rapid growth in demand for short,
tailored learning opportunities. This demand for new forms of
learning has led to a corresponding increase in interest in
‘micro-credentials’ that certify the outcomes of these small
learning experiences.
Commission proposal COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on
a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong
learning and employability
EADTU- MCE kick-off | 18 January 2022
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=24995&langId=en
Brussels,
10.12.2021
3. This demand is expected to continue during the recovery from
the pandemic and in the years that follow. The green and digital
transitions, facilitated by the Next Generation EU funding
programme, have also created new demand from learners,
workers and job-seekers seeking to upskill and reskill. These
learners, workers and job seekers wish to ensure their
employability and career progression. They also wish to access
further studies and to learn for their own personal development
Commission proposal COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on
a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong
learning and employability
EADTU- MCE kick-off | 18 January 2022
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=24995&langId=en
Brussels,
10.12.2021
4. CEPD AS A
PUBLIC
GOOD
Continuing education and
professional development
should become a fully
fledged area of higher
education provision and
funded as a public good (in
combination with
institutional business
models)
4
5. THREE ACADEMIC AREAS
OF PROVISION
Degree education
Continuing
education and
professional
development
Open
education
6. STAKEHOL
DER
PERSPECT
IVES
6
Leadership: development / extension of continuing education and
professional development; institutional frameworks and conditions;
Employers: knowledge and skills updating staff; career development
Learners: restricted and structured workload, flexibility, study-work-life
balance
Teaching staff / support services: design of CEPD courses and
programmes
Governments and EU: establishing national and EU frameworks for
continuing education and professional development – Bologna tools
7. Micro-credentials will be a springboard for
universities to develop a full-fledged area for
continuing education and professional
development.
8. EU
STANDARD
ELEMENTS
OF MICRO-
CREDENTIA
LS
• ID of the learner
• Title of the micro-credential
• Country/region of the learner
• Issuing date
• Learning outcomes
• National workload/ECTS
• Level/cycle: EQF/QF/EHEA
• Type of assessment
• Type of quality assurance
8
EC PROPOSAL
FOR A COUNCIL
RECOMMENDATIO
N
9. OPTIONAL
ELEMENTS
• Pre- requisite of enrollment
• Stackability/integration
• Grade achieved
• ID verification
• Further information
9
EC PROPOSAL
FOR A COUNCIL
RECOMMENDATIO
N
11. SOME CONCLUSIONS…
The Proposal of the European Commission only refers to these standard and optional elements
needed to describe the qualifications given to microcredentials.
In terms of the volume of learning of micro-credentials, the “Micro-credentials Consultation Group
in Higher Education” allowed “flexibility for innovation and experimentation, which means that
microcredentials can vary “from one ECTS to less than a full degree”.
As a consequence, the Proposal doesn't indicate qualification levels for microcredentials in
terms of volume and EQF level such as the European Qualification Framework does. As this is
the competence of national governments and higher education institutions, it is expected that
qualification levels will be subject of discussion at these levels in the coming time.
12. PLANNING
Member States are requested to implement this Recommendation as
soon as possible and submit a plan 12 months after adoption by Council
setting out the corresponding measures to be taken at national level to
support the achievement of the objectives of the Recommendation by
2025.
13. INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES
RELATED TO MICROCREDENTIALS
1. Uplift certificates of shorter programmes to real qualifications by microcredentials
• transparency
• recognition
2. Modularise towards shorter programmes to serve new target groups by
microcredentials
• more structured programmes
• More demand-driven offerings
• extension of target groups
• serve various layers of achievement
Microcredentials are to be valued by; relevance, recognition and quality
14. From learning unit to degree programme Volume (ECTS) Level Award
Learning unit/micro-learning Less than 1 ECTS
Undergraduate
EQF level 5, 6
Postgraduate
EQF level 7,8
a badge/proof of attendance (can be part of a
course or stackable to a course)
A single course
A microcredential course
A single MOOC with credits
Number
of ECTS credits
awarded to the
course
Undergraduate
EQF level 5, 6
Postgraduate
EQF level 7,8
ECTS course credits (stackable to
a programme)
CMF- microcredential programme
MOOC pathway
4-6 ECTS
Undergraduate
EQF level 5, 6
Postgraduate
EQF level 7,8
microcredential
gradeo
(stackable in a microcredential programme
or a degree programme)
Microcredential programme
Microdegree programme
MOOC-based programme
20-40 ECTS
Undergraduate
EQF level 5, 6
Postgraduate
EQF level 7,8
undergraduate/post-graduate certificate
Micro-degree, specialisation certificate
expert certificate, certified/
professional programme, focus diploma,
Diploma (stackable to degree programme)
Degree programme
(bachelor/master/doctorate)
180 ECTS
60-90-120 ECTS
Undergraduate
EQF level 5, 6
Postgraduate
short cycle graduate
bachelor/master degree
15. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
UNIVERSITIES WORK TOGETHER
IN DIALOGUE WITH NATIONAL
GOVERNMENTS, OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE EU TO
DEVELOP A QUALIFICATION
FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUING
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash
16. INSTITUTIO
NAL AND
GOVERNME
NTAL
POLICIES
• The launch of the Commission's
Recommendation already has an effect.
Many institutions are discussing micro-
credentials and microdegrees as new
formats for continuing education and
professional development.
• Some governments and governmental
agencies (Ireland, France, Portugal, Austria,
the Netherlands, Belgium-Flanders, etc.)
have started a policy dialogue and
studies on micro-credentials
16
17.
18. Building up from the experience
maturated with E-SLP and the European
MOOC Consortium (EMC, i.e. CMF) and
on the conclusions of the Consultation
Group Microcredentials for Higher
Education and the Microbol project.
MCE project further promotes future
institutional, national and European
developments related to micro-credentials. It
is a 3 years project (36 months) that pursues
4 objectives, linked to 6 work packages,
managed by 12 partners led by EADTU.
21. Project
Overview
WP2- UOC
• REA (D2.1)
• HEI focus groups (D2.2)
• Recommendations
(D2.3)
• M1-8
• M8-12
• M14
Project Ojectives Due Month
WP and HEI Leaders
Exploring the learner's perspective
to further develop the concept of
MC: design learner-oriented
modular/ micro-credential formats
EADTU- EU Summit- 11/05/2022
Support HEIs for organizing and
creating the conditions for
developing modular education and
micro-credentials
Develop policies for CEPD and
EU frameworks for micro-
credentials (evidence-based
dialogue)
Testing micro-credential and SLPs
through case studies and pilots,
involving all stakeholders
WP3- FernUni Hagen leader
• mapping HEIs policy and strategy
(D3.1)
• PLA (D3.2 and 3.3)
• Recommendations (D3.4)
• M18
• M12 &30
• M30
WP4- KU Leuven
• empowering seminars
• report (D4.1)
• Guidelines (D4.2)
• M25-30
• M34
• M34
WP5- UNED and UNINETTUNO
• Case studies mapping and report
• Report on the Pilots (D5.2)
• Recommendations (D5.3)
• M1-12
• M36
• M36
WP6- UAb
• National & EU policies (D6.1)
• Recommendations (D6.2)
• Events (D6.3)
• M30
• M36
• M36
22. WHERE ARE WE
NOW?
Apr. 2022
Start of the project
May 2022
Consortium meeting and
monitoring
June 2022
First draft REA;
First draft of the HEIs policy
and strategy mapping;
Collection of case studies
completed
CMF makes use of Bologna tools such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and the Diploma Supplement (DS) to provide a base for mutual trust and recognition by promoting transparency and offering common language across institutions and beyond. Courses described and designed in accordance to CMF respect the following criteria (see Figure 1):
have a total workload 100 - 150 hours (4-6 ECTS);
are levelled at Level 6 (bachelor) to 7 (Master) of the EQF/NQF, with options for level 5 (in combination with ECTS);
provide assessment enabling the award of academic credit, either following successful completion of the course or RLP;
operate a reliable method of ID verification at the point of assessment;
provide a transcript (DS) setting out the learning outcomes for a course, hours of study required, EQF level, and number of credit points earned.