Microcredentials
About
In designing and delivering LLL programmes and the subsequent validation of learning outcomes, we will follow the European Recommendation on Micro-credentials, endorsed in June 2022, which seeks to promote lifelong learning and employability by recording and certifying the learning outcomes that a person achieves by completing a short period of learning (e.g. a short training course).
A person who completes such a short learning experience will become the owner of a micro-certificate and can share it with other actors in the education and labour market, both at home and abroad. All stakeholders should understand the content of the micro-certificates and be able to verify their authenticity.
Microcredentials at TBU Zlín
The Czech Republic has one year to incorporate the European Recommendation on Microcredentials into its legislation. TBU Zlín is part of a project under the National Renewal Plan for Higher Education, in which it will focus on the issue of putting microcredentials into practice in cooperation with 25 other universities.
As part of the project, TBU will first engage in an analysis of the current state of the art in the field of documents related to the recognition of short-term lifelong learning. At the same time, TBU project team will be involved in researching best international practice in this area. In addition, TBU will contribute to the design of a unified format for certificates by commenting on the drafts. In addition, TBU will participate in other working groups that will develop a methodology for the recognition of lifelong learning outcomes and the unification of the outcomes of different forms of short-term learning within the project. Last but not least, TBU staff will be involved in the creation of a common online course catalogue and in the development of a unified online system for the verification of lifelong learning outcomes, including its pilot testing.
Microcredentials in practice
Training programmes aimed at upskilling or re-skilling will be designed to enable you to gain or deepen your qualifications in a shorter time. Also, the format of the studies will be more flexible and better adapted to your life and work plans and opportunities. These are courses that are shortened or adapted versions of regular courses, subjects or fields of study. Some of these courses will be delivered online, some will be face-to-face or a combination of both.
These programmes will be designed in modules – sub-sections that will be content specific so that upon successful completion of each module you will earn a certain number of micro-credits and thus a sub-specialty. Proof of obtaining micro-credits is then a micro-certificate. By completing more modules, you increase the number of micro-credits you earn. This also increases your expertise, and you can achieve a comprehensive qualification after completing the whole programme, or use the microcredits you have earned to study in a regular study programme.
In order to obtain micro-credentials, you usually need to complete assignments, attend classes, present your own outputs, knowledge or skills or pass tests etc. These conditions are always set by the organiser of the training programme and can be found in the course details.
This article has been prepared using the following resources:
- Národní pedagogický institut ČR www.npi.cz
- EPALE (Evropská platforma pro vzdělávání dospělých) www.epale.cz
- Národní plán obnovy www.planobnovycr.cz