Microcredentials offer the promise of flexible certification through smaller educational units—but what impact would it have on flexibilising our curricula? In this edition of The Teaching Times, we interview various members of the Centre of Expertise in Learning & Teaching (CELT) who are working on this very topic and its implementation. Karen Slotman, project leader for the microcredentials project, collaborates with CELT colleagues Sonja Borst, Raisa van der Vegt, and Bas Bruggink to bring this concept to the Drienerlo Campus.
“It’s a way of digital certification, but as the name suggests, focused on both high-quality and small-scaled study units,” explains Slotman. The current pilot is facilitated by NPuls, the national growth fund for educational development and innovation. “Because of its digital nature, microcredentials potentially offer a broader and deeper exchange of certification,” she continues. The microcredentials are required to adhere to a quality framework, as can be found on the Surfnet webpage.
Backpacking the Educational Landscape
“Currently, the EduBadges platform is being used for microcredentials as well,” states Slotman. The EduBadges platform was started in 2019, and was a cornerstone of the earlier Acceleration Plan, which involved universities (of applied sciences) across the Netherlands. “This collaboration with vocational education is a new step in the NPuls programme,” she adds, noting that NPuls now encompasses all tertiary education in the Netherlands.
The EduBadges platform offers a flexible setup, reducing administrative burdens. “Depending on the configuration, badges are either distributed by the institution to learners, or learners can retrieve their badges on the platform,” confirms van der Vegt. With an EduID, learners manage their own portfolio of badges and credentials, which is purposefully not tied to an institution-provided account. “This approach is foundational to enabling lifelong learning and fostering interchange between institutions,” adds Borst.
However, safeguards are in place to ensure that microcredentials maintain their value and are not handed out like stickers in an elementary school crafts class. “While we’re still working out the finer details, there will definitely be an upfront procedure to adhere to,” states Borst. She acts in the team as the linking pin with the University of Twente’s Quality Assurance team and the Strategy & Policy department.
“That’s also a key difference from the earlier EduBadges. While we use the same platform, there are different standards for certification to qualify as a microcredential,” Borst explains. These quality agreements are being developed at a national level between various institutions, with the ambition of incorporating them into legislation in the future.
Microcredential-Flavoured Aanschuifonderwijs
The project team anticipates that microcredential-accredited education will grow rapidly in the near future. “At the UT, we already offer high-quality education that is accredited. Transitioning to a microcredential model would be a small step,” says Borst. “This opens the door to a more streamlined version of aanschuifonderwijs, as we call education in the Netherlands where professionals join our regular degree-offered courses.”
The team’s vision, however, extends far beyond opening up existing courses. “Imagine a future where we’ve moved past the fixed mindset of traditional programmes and degrees,” suggests Slotman. “Instead, learners would assemble their own curriculum throughout their lives, even as working professionals.” For now, though, the focus is on introducing this concept to the campus and building familiarity.
One of the first microcredentials awarded at the University of Twente is for the Introduction to Quantum Computing masterclass. “This is actually a textbook example of aanschuifonderwijs from the Computer Science programme” says Slotman. When announced in December 2022, the course was promoted as a masterclass for professionals. She continues: “And this provided for us a highly informative experience too, as we went through the whole process of exploring teacher’s expectations to the actual handing out of the badge.”
The prospect of earning a microcredential was also shared in this announcement, as it could provide another dimension to already existing resumes of these professionals. From these early pilots onwards, a new visual identity has been developed in collaboration with the UT’s Marketing and Communication department to optically provide this dimension as well.
Challenges and Opportunities
The pilots conducted so far have shown promising results, but they have also revealed challenges that still need to be addressed. “These challenges vary in scale—such as what role the exam committee plays, or which departments will handle the issuance of microcredentials,” van der Vegt confirms. Beyond these practical questions, larger concerns remain about how microcredentials will fit into European or even global certification frameworks.
For now, the working group is keeping its focus on campus. “With lifelong learning as part of the LLO-Katalysator, this is an ideal technique to explore,” says Borst. “The new lifelong learning website has already been launched and will be updated continuously, with information on microcredentials as well.”
And as lifelong learning develops, the team remains open to involving more voices. Their work was covered earlier this year in NPuls’s magazine on lifelong learning with microcredentials. “Anyone interested in this topic is welcome to reach out to one of us. We’re happy to have a conversation,” invites van der Vegt. So even if it’s just to explore the opportunities, the Teaching Times now knows who to find.
