Dilemmas in micro-credential recognition boost innovation

Europeans are learning more than ever before – or at least, that is what we may conclude from the substantial growth of short, flexible learning experiences, also known as ‘micro-credentials’. Between 2018 and 2022, the number of courses offered on six major European learning platforms grew by as much as 200% (OECD, 2023).

European higher education institutions are noticing the effect. Increasingly, they find themselves faced with certificates whose value is not immediately obvious. Figures from the European University Association show that two in three institutions regard the recognition of micro-credentials as a challenge.

Connection with the job market

This is not only a problem for internationalisation in education and for the students themselves. It also hampers the job market, which demands flexibility. For this reason, the European Commission aims to expand both the supply and acceptance of short learning experiences. Not only formal learning experiences, but also those offered outside traditional education frameworks should be valued. This will lead to a stronger connection between education and the job market.

According to an international survey that Nuffic conducted as part of the Erasmus+-funded project Automatic Recognition in the European Education Area 2025 (AR25), most institutions have (or are working on) a recognition procedure for micro-credentials. Even so, a substantial proportion (25%) also say they have no procedure for micro-credentials. Moreover, a comprehensive overview of the micro-credentials available within Europe has been lacking so far.

Clear guidelines

This was also highlighted in the Nuffic webinar Recognising micro-credentials, from theory to practice. This webinar took place in the light of AR25. The high number of participants (over 300) showed the commitment of institutions and their eagerness to learn about this topic.

Although the European Commission has now released a definition of micro-credentials, institutions often still use their own definition alongside it. For example, one institution may put the upper limit for a micro-credential at 15 ECTS, while another may consider any course below 60 ECTS as a micro-credential (because courses above 60 ECTS count as short courses under the Bologna guidelines). The most common number of credits is between 1 and 6 ECTS.

The value of micro-credentials offered outside accredited institutions are more difficult to interpret.

Institutions have many valuable tools at their disposal to strengthen the transparency of micro-credentials. For example, they can link them to ECTS and to existing quality assurance frameworks. The situation is different for micro-credentials offered outside accredited institutions, making their value more difficult to interpret. This is a problem if we want to achieve the flexibility that the European Commission is looking for.

Nuffic’s Micro-Evaluator is one of the initiatives to enable the wider recognition of learning experiences. This online tool guides admission officers through seven criteria to evaluate the quality of a micro-credential. It then indicates whether the learning experience complies with the Lisbon Recognition Convention. Even if not all the lights are green, the admission officer will have clear guidelines for the further evaluation of the certificate.

Taking control

For micro-credentials to be recognised, transparency and consistency are crucial. Experts warn that a lack of uniformity will eventually lead to declining interest in micro-credentials and thus a decline in their value. This would be disastrous for the labor market, where short learning experiences are desperately needed, for instance for retraining.

Fortunately, the international education sector is not sitting still. For one thing, the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Educaton (EQAR) maintains a database (DEQAR) that has recently been opened to information on the quality assurance of micro-credentials from both mainstream institutions and alternative providers. If a micro-credential is included in this database, an admission officer can be confident that quality assurance of the learning experience is robust.

"Lets respect and cherish the flexibility and diversity of micro-credentials."

Peterbauer therefore hopes that we respect and cherish the flexibility and diversity of micro-credentials. “That's what I appreciate about Nuffic's Micro-Evaluator. It's not a programme of requirements, but a tool to help you understand what you have in front of you.”

Learning always has value

She continues: “With all the initiatives out there, the focus should not be solely on technical details of micro-credentials. Instead, let's consider how we can foster lifelong learning more broadly.”

A micro-credential, Peterbauer concludes, is more than just a certificate to get in somewhere. “Micro-credentials don't just serve education or the labor market. They can provide skills that benefit the student and society.”