[EMC-LM 2nd convention] Emc microcredentials by Matthew Hodges, Miradax. 19 February 2021

1. Founding partners
3,000 MOOCs 400 higher education institutions 5 Languages

2. Growing demand for shorter programmes
Ongoing practice in MOOCs and online short programmes is rapidly growing
Europe and world-wide. There is a major variation in credentials awarded
for them: micro-masters, nanodegrees, master-tracks etc.
No consistency in qualifications leads to confusion.
Clarity on qualifications is of utmost importance for learners, universities
and employers.
At the moment the current situation is hindering the breakthrough of
MOOC programmes, online continuous education / CPD in general and
career development while careers become longer
Erasmus+ European MOOC Consortium
Labour Market

3. Our Ambitions – Micro-Credentials
EMC partners aim to:
- Lay the foundations for a new qualification to address the needs of employers
and learners looking for smaller units of study that develop relevant skills
- Enable courses to be recognised towards formal qualifications
- Enable courses to be stackable across different higher education
systems in Europe and beyond
Framework to be integrated more widely by European universities and
agencies to facilitate collaborations

4. Model: Common Microcredential
Framework (CMF)
- Have a total workload 100 - 150 hours (4-6 ECTS)
- Be levelled at Level 5, Level 6 (bachelor) Level 7 (Master) in the European
Qualification Framework or the equivalent levels in the University’s national
qualification framework
- Provide assessment enabling the award of academic credit, either following
successful completion of the Course or via Recognition of Prior Learning upon
enrolment as a student on the University’s course
- Operate a reliable method of ID verification at the point of assessment
- Provide a transcript setting out the learning outcomes for a course, hours of
study required, EQF level and number of credit points earned
- Courses should be designed so that the number of hours per week is manageable
- Courses aimed at employees or workplace skills should combine theory and
practice to ensure their learning directly relevant in the workplace
And…

5. Partnerships for Success
In order to achieve our goals we must engage a range of relevant European stakeholders;
- Universities
- Public Employment Organisations
- Companies and Business sectors
- Training Organisations
- Ministries
- European Union
- … and of course Individual Learners

6. European Commision – A European
Approach to Micro-Credentials
The European Skills Agenda adopted on 1 July 2020 announced as one of its 12 flagship
actions a new initiative to support the quality, transparency and take-up of micro-
credentials across the EU.
The Commission Communication on the European Education Area published on 30
September 2020 further emphasises the key role of Higher Education in supporting
lifelong learning and reaching out to a more diverse student body.
A new EU framework for micro-credentials will help widen learning opportunities and
strengthen the role of higher education and vocational education and training
institutions in lifelong learning by providing more flexible and modular learning
opportunities.

7. European Commision
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