Today, ECIU University presented its micro-credentials white paper at an online event with 300 participants from all over Europe and beyond. The high interest, engaging discussions and support for the paper showed that the micro-credentials movement has momentum.
Micro-credentials are an opportunity to fundamentally change universities’ role in transforming learning and being a promising means of aligning universities with wider societal perspectives and valued social goals. Micro-credentials redefine the types of awards and qualifications offered by universities. They can align universities’ missions with wider societal, economic and environmental goals. Through the presented paper, ECIU University shares its vision and commits to concrete actions for the continuous development of the micro-credentials movement.
During the event, short-term developments, longer-term ambitions and concrete actions in the micro-credentials field were discussed. Vanessa Debiais-Sainton (Head of Unit Higher Education at the European Commission) reflected on the European Commission report of December 2020. Mark Brown (Director National Institute of Digital Learning Dublin City University) and Henri Pirkkalainen (ECIU University micro-credentials lead) spoke about ECIU University’s ambitions. Anthony Camilleri (Director at Knowledge Innovation Centre MicroHE) reflected on different micro-credentials movement’s future development scenarios.