Quality, Trust and Cooperation: European Peer Learning Activity on Micro-credentials
As part of the expert support project on VET issues for the European Commission, Karin Luomi-Messerer, Zsuzsanna Zarka and Monika Auzinger organised in May a European Peer Learning Activity (PLA) on quality assurance for micro-credentials, which focused on successful approaches to stakeholder engagement. The Netherlands acted as the virtual host country, with contributions from Italy, Slovakia, Greece and Slovenia. The report on the PLA has recently been published.
The European Commission presented the latest progress in implementing the European approach to micro-credentials, while Cedefop provided insights into its ongoing research. In addition, the Erasmus+ project “Micro-credentials in Construction: Green Circle” shared hands-on experiences from practice. Participants discussed key issues and exchanged examples of good practice in small group sessions.
One key finding: micro-credentials are gaining increasing importance across Europe and are being progressively integrated into national qualifications frameworks. However, differences remain in definitions and implementation between countries and sectors. While some systems already apply official definitions aligned with the Council Recommendation (2022), others have comparable practices that are not yet formally recognised as micro-credentials.
The role of employers was particularly emphasised as a driving force for the relevance, acceptance and integration of micro-credentials into education and training systems. Discussions also highlighted that quality assurance needs to be proportionate and flexible in order to reflect the agile nature of micro-credentials.
Contact: Karin Luomi-Messerer
Client: DG EMPL
