On the 17th of November the ECIU University hosted a webinar gathering 300+ participants to describe the ECIU University journey in the issuing of e-sealed micro-credentials through the EDC platform. Speakers at the webinar were tasked with both challenging our thinking with respect to the potential of micro-credentials and to illustrate the practical micro-credential journey of the alliance.
Learning to learn is one of the cornerstones of education and training. Issuing micro-credentials through the European Digital Credential (EDC) platform has been an opportunity of great learning and engagement for ECIU University with a wide breadth of colleagues from across Europe.
Dr. Mairéad Nic Giolla Mhichíl, Micro-Credential Lead at ECIU University and Director of Micro-Credential Strategy and Innovation at Dublin City University opened the session with a recognition of the combined engagement and community which has supported the ECIU University in achieving this milestone and the ambition of the Alliance to deliver micro-credentials for continuous learners.
Anthony Camilleri, one of the chief architects of the European micro-credential eco-system, described the systems of trust needed and those that are currently in place in support of micro-credentials. He deftly illustrated the potential for personalised learning harnessing AI and how this could be used in a micro-credential context. He challenged education and training institutions to broaden their frames of understanding of micro-credentials and to accelerate engagement with them.
Koen Nomden from the Commission set out the policy environment and architecture that Europe has been crafting to support the micro-credential ecosystem both at national and regional level, to facilitate employability and lifelong learning agendas in the European context.
Padmasheela Kiiskilä, Doctoral Researcher at Tampere University on behalf of the ECIU University Micro-Credential team expertly charted the Alliance’s journey and milestones achieved, to be able to issue e-sealed micro-credentials through the EDC Platform. She provided invaluable insights for other Alliances or implementing institutions.
Kia Likitalo illustrated to participants some of the practical steps they could take to start their own journey using the EDC platform to both issue and manage credentials. Kia invited participants to contact the EDC to start working with them.
Both the chat and QA of the webinar were alive with the 300 plus participants questions and comments such as “How do we start to use EDC?”, “How does ECIU University define micro-credentials” and “How is quality ensured?”. These were addressed by the panel in the final QA session and throughout the session and highlighted the interest that there is in this area.
Koen Nomden from the Commission set out the policy environment and architecture that Europe has been crafting to support the micro-credential ecosystem both at national and regional level, to facilitate employability and lifelong learning agendas in the European context. She provided invaluable insights for other Alliances or implementing institutions.
Finally, participants were given the opportunity to receive a digital credential issued by the ECIU University and awarded by Dublin City University to practically illustrate the process of issuing and receiving digital credential as a learner from the EDC.
Finally, a sincere thank you was extended to all of the stakeholders from within the ECIU University and from EDC and the Commission who have made this learning journey possible. Hopefully, for participants it will support their own learning journeys with e-sealed micro-credentials through the EDC and will ultimately help wider institutions and states to implement the European Recommendation on Micro-Credentials.
The recording of the event and ECIU University position paper on e-sealed micro-credentials are available below. Please contact mairead.nicgiollamhichil@dcu.ie, padmasheela.kiiskila@tuni.fi for more information.