Information and Guidance

Source: Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability

Persons involved in the design, issuing and recognition of micro-credentials should:

1. Ensure the accessibility and effective outreach of information on micro-credentials.
2. Integrate lifelong learning guidance and into micro-credentials.

Ensure Accessibility of Information on Micro-Credentials

Micro-credential designers and issuers, while considering using the elements listed in Annex I of the EU Council Recommendation to describe micro-credentials upon issuing, may also adapt this same list, as done below, for providing information on the offer of micro-credentials relevant to potential learners. All the elements listed in Annex I excluding those related to information on the award itself when the micro-credential has been completed have been removed from the list below. Designers and issuers should ensure transparency in the elements of information enabling potential learners to make the best suited choice of offer on micro-credentials. Table 8 lists what such elements could include.

Table 8: Informative elements on Micro-Credential Offers.

Source: Adapted from Council of the EU (2022).

National course catalogues can be considered a best practice on centralising accessible information on qualification offers (including micro-credentials). Stakeholders may use this to discover information about courses, compare courses, receive suggestions on potential courses they want to follow and much more. On the regional level, Europass represents a set of online tools and information that supports communicating skills, qualifications and experiences in 30 languages across Europe.

Offer Guidance for Life-Long Learning

Lifelong learning plays a crucial role in leading the transformation of economies that is necessary to meet today’s unprecedented social, economic and environmental challenges. When it comes to becoming lifelong learners, however, individuals may require guidance how to face the many doubts and questions as to which learning offers best prepare them to take the lead in navigating through this time of transformation.

For micro-credentials to attract individuals who can find countless learning offers online, providers should ensure accessible, user-friendly and effective career guidance services. It is to no surprise that choosing a learning offer can be overwhelming if individuals are inundated with work and caring responsibilities, and more so when trying to decipher which skills and competencies individuals should target. In fact, simply searching online what skills are necessary in the 21^st century gives a very broad spectrum of all the skills individuals should possibly be proficient with.   

Guidance services may be included:

• In the promotion of the micro-credential. 
• As part of the micro-credential itself.

When promoting micro-credentials, providers should include guidance on the learning and/or employment opportunities that may emerge from obtaining a micro-credential. This gains particular significance given that very flexible learning pathways may inherently include the risk of being socially exclusive if the target group for those micro-credentials are not well-equipped with the competencies or guidance to access and benefit from them (Orr et al, 2020). Services to speak to professional guidance councillors should also be included, particularly when it comes to the ability of potential learners to have their prior learning recognised for a flexible learning pathway (see Learning Pathways). An example of such services is demonstrated by the tailored support provided to learners seeking to validate previously acquired learning for admission to the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL).  

In regard to offering guidance services as part of the micro-credential itself, an example is provided in Figure 15 depicting a screenshot from Coursera’s Career Success Specialization offered by the University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education. While micro-credentials such as this can solely focus on basic management, communication, and negotiation skills, providers can also seek to integrate career guiding elements into micro-credentials which also focus on industry-specific skills.

Figure 15: Coursera’s Career Success Specialization offered by the University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education. Source: Coursera (n.d.).

Aside from integrating career guiding tools into micro-credentials, learners can be proactively guided through a variety of learning and career pathways through micro-credentials which expose them to interdisciplinary topics. An example such is taken from the Arqus European University Alliance 'Engaged Citizens' program which uses research and challenge-based learning methodologies framed by themes such as "Diversity, Interdisciplinarity and Social Challenges". The micro-credential programme includes an intensive five-day on-site course, a research project combining online learning modules where learners work in interdisciplinary teams to finally present their projects in a forum led by learners. The certificate awarded after completion of the programme is able to be recognised for 6-12 ECTS credits if learners complete the on-site course, the full programme and attend the Forum (Arqus, 2022) By working in interdisciplinary teams, learners can further identify their disciplinary as well as skill and competency-related strengths and weaknesses to help build on their identity and therefore guide their personal development as lifelong learners.