5. Recommendations for the development of MCs

This set of Recommendation for the development of MCs is based on the overall results of the NLL investigation on MCs in a Nordic perspective.

The investigation, financed by The Nordic Counsil of Ministers, has been carried out, during the period of 2023–2024 in the NLL, expert network on validation of prior learning.

The recommendations are based on the analysis of Good Practice Cases. A methodological approach for the systematisation process of the investigation results has been developed in terms of various steps:

Mapping findings, identified by perspectives and aspects aimed at a broad and a wide range of mapping to encompass learning forms that fits into the EU definition of MCs – in various respects but not necessarily by all mapped examples.

From mapping results, examples are selected as for showing, in a first-step systematisation, how mono-perspectives and aspects are included in the examples. Perspectives of the examples are analysed with a focus on:

Context, formats and target groups
Legitimacy, credibility and recognition
Validation and recognition
Added value and benefit for end-user

Categories of learning formats – mapped as MCs – are formed as the following step of systematisation. Categories are defined in terms of shared commonalities and distinguishing features and with a particular focus on Coherent Factors of importance for added value and achievement of benefits for end-users.

Based on these previous steps of systematisation, Good Practice Cases are described with the combination of perspectives and aspects – multi-perspectives – to provide Cases to illustrate the functions and outcomes, added value and benefits for end-users. Good Practice Cases form the basis for analysis and assessment of the ongoing focus of the MC Investigation: How does added value and benefits for end-users appear and by which elements and precautions are they secured?

The Recommendations for development of MCs in a Nordic perspective are based on the analysis results of Good Practice Cases.

The Recommendations are elaborated on in relation to the overall situation of megatrends, affecting societies and labour market. At national and regional level, challenges are anticipated in skills forecasts and already appearing as evolving in societies and labour market, in terms of:

Demographic disbalances across generations emphasise the already occurrence of coherent challenges. At labour markets, changes are happening in an ever-increasing pace posing high demands on businesses, employees and employers for adapting to new task profiles and skills requirements. Ways of working and living are influenced by an increase of implications regarding global competition, twin transition – digital and green transition – global crisis as climate change, international political instability and potential pandemics.

These megatrends pose demands to societies and labour markets to be responsive to major changes. This is particularly in an EU agenda – and hence also in national agendas for ensuring stable and inclusive societies – seen as a priority of education and learning possibilities, provided in terms of distinct labour market and societal focus; timeliness, responsiveness and flexibility for adapting to a future, marked by continuous change – at ever increasing speed and extent.

The Recommendations for development of MCs, elaborated as part of the NLL MCs Investigation, are prepared within an overall focus on further development of the format of MCs and by the anticipation, that systematisation of initiatives for this purpose would benefit from a shared responsibility and by the inclusion of various interests and priorities.

The Recommendations address five levels of key concern for development and application of microcredentials:

The learner
The educational instititution and other providers in collaboration with stakeholders
Social partners
Policy makers
Society

The Learner

Choose a MC that align with your carrier aspirations and skills gaps
Seek information and guidance relevant for the process of your choice
Consider the time and financial investment required for the MC
Consider area of recognition of your achieved learning outcomes of the MC
Pay special attention to the question of validation of prior learning, to have your prior learning recognised as part of the MC
Explore pathways to stack MCs towards a larger qualification – professional certification or a degree programme
Discuss and agree with your company, what benefits the achieved MC means for your job, tasks and future development in the company
Stay informed about new and emerging MC opportunities in your field

The educational institution and other providers in collaboration with stakeholders

Concerning organising of communication, Education providers should plan the interaction between MC stakeholders, so that each can have their voice heard, and participate at a stage that is useful for the development and update of the MC
Ensure information is available for learners and employers to know exactly which learning outcomes and benefits they can expect from the specific MC
Distinguish among benefits as professional skills aimed for specific jobs and tasks, personal development, inclusion in the labour market, admission to education and job, job retention and recruitment
Learning approach to MC should be considered with a focus on learning forms to fit learning preferences and prerequisites of learners
Include support structures for the learners, especially for MCs aimed at inclusion of individuals outside of labour market or education
MCs should be designed in a way that the first step of learning process should always be the individual’s existing knowledge for development of personal/organisational learning goals. Validation is a key element of this
Ensure that each MC addresses a distinct skill or competency
Develop rigorous assessment criteria to ensure learner meet the desired skills and competences
Collaborate with industry partners to identify in-demand skills
Regularly update MCs to reflect current trends and skills anticipated
Collaborate with employee/learner, company and employer to develop learning approaches that include practical, real-world applications and projects
Offer online, hybrid, and in-person options to accommodate diverse learner needs
Incorporate asynchronous learning to allow self-paced progress
Seek accreditation from relevant bodies to enhance credibility
Ensure MCs are recognised by employers and can be stacked into greater qualifications
To provide evidence of added value and benefits for end-users, put into system a regularly follow-up due to expected outcomes of the provided MCs
Adjust development of MCs in terms of regularly follow-up-based evidence
Create step-by-step learning pathways with MC; create pathways by MC based on part degrees and full degrees and visualise them for the public

Social partners

Based on skills need forecast, social partner organisations should take initiative to development of MC in collaboration with stakeholders and providers
Labour market organisations at local, regional and national levels should spread information about MC
What determines the added value of the MC should be discussed for the characteristics of the MC
A systematic and regularly follow up on added value of MC and achieved benefits should be carried out within a stakeholder collaboration
To develop sustainable MCs, skills needs and requirements should be surveyed at various levels: company, local companies, branch, sector, society

Society

It is important to work on the increase of awareness of MC to show how it can be beneficial, not only for the individuals but for the society as well. This will hopefully open more eyes and possibilities and gain support from stakeholders
Develop MCs that support the inclusion of an individual into society with a special attention towards an increased number of individuals feeling outside of communities.
Motivate and promote MC for volunteering in society
It should be communicated by Volunteering Organisations how citizens, when taking part in volunteering activities and learning from this, make an important contribution to the development of Inclusive Communities (Nordic Vision 2030)
To understand aims and characteristics of MC, it should be communicated and made visible how the provided MCs address trends, megatrends and challenges in society, challenges like demographic imbalances in the labour market and in society, green transition, technological requirements
Social innovation with MCs should be encouraged by experimenting and bridging learning and social activities

Policy makers

Policy makers should address the potential of MCs to respond to challenges in terms of trends and megatrends in societies and labour markets
The term MCs should be defined in order to clarify what it meant by MCs, what are their characteristics and potentials
Policy makers should initiate a discussion on how the relations between MCs and formal education could be established
Policy makers should make decisions about development and provision of a digital infrastructure for storing of MCs obtained by learners
Requirements for the development of MCs should be addressed, by simultaneously highlighting the potentials of providing a complementary way of valuing learning
To value non-formal and informal learning in national databases for learning opportunities, non-formal learning should be made visible adjacent to the formal degrees, parts of degrees and qualifications. This way both non-ECTS and ECTS-bearing learning opportunities can be seen of value to learning
Sources for informal learning should be discussed in a popularised way, to encourage the lifelong learning culture
National legal systems for VPL and Qualification Frameworks should be further developed to encompass recognition and application of non-formal learning in education and skill and competence development