i)

cooperation and collaboration between regional and national authorities, education and training organisations and;

ii)

sectoral and cross-industry social dialogue (this social dialogue should involve organisations that represent workers and employers from both the private and public sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and professional and managerial staff).

a)

enabling individuals to acquire, update and improve the knowledge, skills and competences they need to thrive in an evolving labour market and society, to benefit fully from a socially fair recovery and just transitions to the green and digital economy and to be better equipped to deal with current and future challenges;

b)

supporting the preparedness of providers of micro-credentials to enhance the quality, transparency, accessibility and flexibility of the learning offering in order to empower individuals to forge personalised learning and career pathways;

c)

fostering inclusiveness, access and equal opportunities and contributing to the achievement of resilience, social fairness and prosperity for all, in a context of demographic and societal changes and throughout all phases of economic cycles.

a)

‘Micro-credential’ means the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning. These learning outcomes will have been assessed against transparent and clearly defined criteria. Learning experiences leading to micro-credentials are designed to provide the learner with specific knowledge, skills and competences that respond to societal, personal, cultural or labour market needs. Micro-credentials are owned by the learner, can be shared and are portable. They may be stand-alone or combined into larger credentials. They are underpinned by quality assurance following agreed standards in the relevant sector or area of activity.

b)

‘Providers of micro-credentials’ means education and training institutions and organisations, social partners (i.e. organisations representing workers and employers), employers and industry, civil society organisations, public employment services (PES) and regional and national authorities, and other types of actors designing, delivering and issuing micro-credentials for formal, non-formal and informal learning. This is without prejudice to regional and national legislation and circumstances.

c)

‘Learning settings’ means the diverse, physical, online, blended (21), virtual and digital locations, contexts and cultures in which people learn, encompassing all settings in which formal, non-formal and informal learning can occur.

d)

‘Formal learning’ means learning which takes place in an organised and structured environment, specifically dedicated to learning, and typically leads to the award of a qualification, usually in the form of a certificate or a diploma; it includes systems of general education, initial, continuing and tertiary vocational education and training and higher education (22).

e)

‘Non-formal learning’ means learning which takes place outside formal education and training through planned activities in terms of learning objectives and learning time and where some form of learning support is present (23).

f)

‘Informal learning’ means learning resulting from daily activities and experiences which is not organised or structured in terms of objectives, time or learning support; it may be unintentional from the learner’s perspective (24). It does not automatically lead to a micro-credential but can be considered in the context of validation arrangements which may identify, document, assess and/or certify an individual’s learning outcomes.

g)

‘Portability’ means the ability for a credential-holder to store their micro-credentials in a system of their choice, to share the credential with a party of their choice (whether national or transnational) and for all parties in the exchange to be able to understand the content and verify the authenticity of the credentials. This enables portability between and within education and training sectors, in the labour market and across countries.

h)

‘Stackability’ means the possibility, where relevant, to combine different micro-credentials and build logically upon each other. Decisions to ‘stack’ or combine credentials lie with the receiving organisation (e.g. education and training institutions, employers, etc.) in line with their practices and should support the goals and needs of the learner. Stacking does not create an automatic entitlement to a qualification or a degree. Such decisions are made by regional and national authorities or institutions in line with their awarding processes.

i)

‘Assessment’ means the process or method used to evaluate, measure and eventually describe the learning outcomes acquired by individuals through formal, non-formal or informal settings. Assessment is performed by the provider or other recognised assessment providers.

a)

the definition of micro-credentials as set out in paragraph 5(a);

b)

the European standard elements to describe a micro-credential (as described in Annex I) including the following mandatory elements:

c)

the European principles for the design and issuance of micro-credentials (as described in Annex II).

a)

supporting the exploration by higher education institutions of the role of micro-credentials in offering learning opportunities to diverse learners, in particular by widening an attractive, accessible, inclusive and learner-centred offer of lifelong learning activities, including through the activities of the alliances of ‘European Universities’ (25), where applicable;

b)

supporting the exploration by vocational education and training institutions and other VET providers of the role of micro-credentials in continuing vocational education and training in supporting upskilling and reskilling of adults, including through the activities of VET Centres of Vocational Excellence, where applicable;

c)

considering providing public funding, according to national circumstances, for the development and provision of small education and training activities leading to micro-credentials at all levels of education and training, while taking into account institutional autonomy to allow for diversity and creativity.

a)

supporting the design and issuance of micro-credentials by providers other than those in paragraph 7 (these providers might include: companies, social partners, civil society organisations, local authorities, community centres, professional associations, research and innovation organisations and private providers), including promoting diversity of funding sources;

b)

promoting the development of micro-credentials designed and agreed by employers’ and workers’ representatives through social dialogue, where appropriate;

c)

considering adapting procedures for the recognition of prior learning and the validation of non-formal and informal learning to allow for the awarding of micro-credentials.

a)

applying, adapting and developing quality assurance mechanisms for micro-credentials issued by different types of providers, making use of existing mechanisms, wherever possible (see Annex 2);

b)

supporting the use of ‘skills-intelligence’ systems for analyses of labour market needs and demographic changes so they can identify any need to develop or update micro-credentials;

c)

encouraging providers to publish catalogues of micro-credentials they offer, including, where relevant, their policy on the recognition of micro-credentials issued by other providers;

d)

integrating micro-credentials in national qualifications frameworks and systems. Decisions to integrate micro-credentials in regional and national frameworks or systems are made by national authorities or institutions in line with national circumstances.

i)

education and training institutions;

ii)

social partners;

iii)

employers and industry;

iv)

research and innovation organisations;

v)

civil society organisations;

vi)

employment and social inclusion services and;

vii)

local, regional and national authorities.

a)

encouraging the inclusion of education and training offers leading to micro-credentials in catalogues of education and training opportunities that are on offer;

b)

using micro-credentials to improve access to education and training for all learners, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups (such as people with disabilities, the elderly, low-qualified/skilled people, minorities, people with a migrant background, refugees and people with fewer opportunities because of their geographical location and/or their socio-economically disadvantaged situation), where appropriate;

c)

using micro-credentials to support flexible learning pathways and the transition from upper secondary or VET to tertiary education and adult education where relevant;

d)

using micro-credentials that can be integrated in or that can complement degree programmes, where relevant;

e)

using micro-credentials as a further means to improve basic and advanced digital skills and competences of a wider range of learners, in line with the Digital Education Action Plan and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan;

f)

using micro-credentials to support the development of learning for the green transition and sustainable development as part of the national implementation of the Council Recommendation on learning for the green transition and sustainable development;

g)

promoting the use of micro-credentials by education and training institutions and other providers – in cooperation with their surrounding knowledge and innovation ecosystem – to boost the relevance and increase the potential positive impact of micro-credentials on the economy at local and regional level;

h)

promoting the understanding and use of micro-credentials through continuing professional development for teachers and trainers, guidance counsellors (e.g. in the context of the Erasmus+ Teacher Academies), as well as academics, researchers and other related staff;

i)

promoting the use of micro-credentials for the prompt transfer of the latest research findings into learning opportunities, strengthening synergies between the European Education Area and the European Research Area;

j)

exploring the use of micro-credentials in the European Education Area to challenge gender and other discriminatory stereotypes concerning study choices and within educational practices and materials.

a)

using micro-credentials, as relevant, to:

b)

including training leading to micro-credentials in recognised training opportunities that may be linked to individual learning accounts, where they exist, and other systems for training support;

c)

promoting the use of micro-credentials as a means of updating and upgrading the skills of self-employed and non-standard workers, including people working through platforms and SMEs;

d)

exploring the use of micro-credentials in targeted initiatives to support and motivate disadvantaged and vulnerable groups (such as minimum income recipients, people with disabilities, the long-term unemployed and the low-qualified) to re-enter the labour market or continue in employment;

e)

exploring a role for micro-credentials within systems for implementing the reinforced Youth Guarantee to support young people, including in preparatory training and good-quality offers of continued education or training;

f)

exploring the role of micro-credentials as part of the national implementation of the Recommendation on an effective active support to employment following the COVID-19 crisis (EASE);

g)

exploring the use of micro-credentials to support the professional development of workers and meet mandatory requirements for upskilling and reskilling in certain jobs and types of work (e.g. for licences, required training and permits).

a)

define measures by building on relevant existing national arrangements and financial frameworks to implement this Recommendation. This could include links with individual learning accounts where they exist (with due regard for the responsibility and autonomy of education, training and labour-market organisations in the national context).

b)

make best use of Union funds and instruments to support the necessary reforms, from the enabling framework to the development and use of micro-credentials.

a)

supporting the development of guidelines on how to foster transparency and apply the current EU and Bologna instruments in the field of higher education to the internal and external quality assurance of micro-credentials;

b)

exploring how to adapt the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System user guide in the field of higher education to integrate micro-credentials;

c)

exploring how to adapt and develop EU tools for skills and qualifications to integrate micro-credentials into VET systems;

d)

fostering the role of ENIC-NARIC and other adequate bodies in the recognition of micro-credentials for further studies and/or employment purposes including by developing guidance and training;

e)

supporting structured discussion on the possibility to include micro-credentials in National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs);

f)

exploring the development of the European Student Card initiative to allow students to share the outcomes of micro-credentials obtained abroad during their studies, in a secure way with other education and training institutions.

a)

supporting sharing of information between regional and national authorities on relevant regional and national policy initiatives and evidence on their impact, making best use of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond;

b)

promoting European cooperation on quality assurance of micro-credentials, thus building reciprocal trust;

c)

incentivising experimentation with and use of micro-credentials by higher education institutions and vocational education and training institutions, including the alliances of ‘European Universities’ and VET Centres of Excellence to promote and encourage the uptake of micro-credentials by the wider education and training community;

d)

promoting engagement on micro-credentials in Erasmus+ Teacher Academies and other providers of teacher education and teacher training to address teachers’ needs for continuous professional development, where appropriate;

e)

exploring engagement on micro-credentials by social partners, employers and industry, including via the Pact for Skills and linked cooperation initiatives such as the Blueprint for sectoral cooperation on skills, the strengthened European Alliance for Apprenticeships and the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition;

f)

supporting cooperation and exchange of best practices between PES and employers on how to use micro-credentials to support employability in the context of the PES Network;

g)

facilitating co-operation projects among social partners and education and training institutions on how to use and implement micro-credentials to meet skills needs at European, national, local and regional level, and across different sectors.

a)

information on learning opportunities leading to micro-credentials and on providers that adhere to the European approach to micro-credentials;

b)

support for authentication of micro-credentials through European digital credentials for learning;

c)

support for the portability, stackability, interoperability, exchange and sharing of information on micro-credentials through a European open standard which specifies a common format for micro-credentials.

i)

the uptake of the European approach to micro-credentials, including on their use by education and training providers, employers and social partners;

ii)

particular outcomes and benefits for learners;

iii)

their added value compared to and as a complement to full degrees or qualifications and;

iv)

further evidence on the factors that influence people’s incentives and motivation to take up training.