Towards INGENIUM Micro-credentials Framework

The “Towards an INGENIUM micro-credentials Framework” micro-credential trains academic and administrative staff, as well as external stakeholders, in the basic knowledge required to understand the comprehensive design, implementation, management, and certification of joint INGENIUM micro-credentials. Learners are qualified to design the structure and key components of INGENIUM joint micro-credentials, integrate ESCO competences into learning outcomes for EQF portability, and utilize digital tools for quality assurance and certification, such as ELMv3 and Europass. Ultimately, this program enables professionals to collaboratively create robust, inclusive, and high-quality micro-credential proposals that meet all technical requirements and serve as a reference model for the INGENIUM Alliance.

Rationale for the need of training. The rapid expansion of flexible lifelong learning requires university staff to navigate complex European technical and regulatory frameworks. This micro-credential is strategically needed to establish a standardized administrative and regulatory reference model for the INGENIUM Alliance. It addresses a critical gap in staff expertise regarding the collaborative design, management, and certification of joint micro-credentials. To ensure cross-border portability and quality, staff must be trained to align proposals with key European standards.

This training is directly supported by the following external references and initiatives:
• Council Recommendation on a European approach to micro-credentials (2022): https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/micro-credentials 
• The European Union of Skills initiative (2025). 
• Integration of ESCO competences and EQF portability: https://esco.ec.europa.eu/ 
• European Digital Credentials (EDC) and Europass: https://europa.eu/europass/en

LO1. Interpret and apply the European and institutional regulatory frameworks relevant to micro-credentials, including the 2022 European Commission Recommendation, the Union Skills initiative and INGENIUM internal procedures. ESCO skills/competencies: apply system organisational policies; ensure ongoing compliance with regulations.

LO2. Design and document the structure and key components of an INGENIUM joint micro-credential, identifying institutional roles, processes, and quality requirements across partner universities. ESCO skills/competencies: documenting and recording information; assess project resource needs; apply quality standards.

LO3. Know the existing digital tools and administrative resources for the management, certification, and recognition of micro-credentials, ensuring alignment with ELMv3 and Europass standards and INGENIUM procedures. ESCO skills/competencies: use online tools to collaborate; use ICT resources to solve work related tasks; digital communication and collaboration.

LO4. Integrate ESCO competences and skills into the design of learning outcomes and assessment criteria, ensuring relevance, transparency, and portability within the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). ESCO skills/competencies: linking learning outcomes of qualifications with ESCO skills; evaluate data.

LO5. Collaboratively create a draft INGENIUM micro-credential proposal, demonstrating technical accuracy, inclusiveness, and consistency with the INGENIUM quality system. ESCO skills/competencies: work in teams; use online tools to collaborate; apply system organisational policies.

CONTENTS: 

1.    European Regulatory Framework
1.1.    The EU Council Recommendation on a European Approach to micro credentials: key elements of the Council Recommendation and implications for university staff.
1.2.    The relevance of micro credentials in the current EU policy context: the Union of Skills and the competitiveness agenda.
1.3.    The European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance and micro credentials : understanding how quality assurance frameworks apply to micro credentials.
1.4.    The use of European policy frameworks by INGENIUM.
2.    IEC regulatory framework for INGENIUM Micro-credentials 
2.1.    Introduce the INGENIUM Policy on Micro-Credentials and the policy document for INGENIUM Micro Credentials.
2.2.    Identify the key elements of an INGENIUM Micro Credential including target learners, structure, and so on.
2.3.    The different micro-credential options available in INGENIUM. 
3.    Tools and instructions for planning and management, Assessment and grading systems, Requirements for certification, Administrative Processes and Accreditation. Contents to cover in a Micro-credential Application
3.1.    General information: includes core information on the learning offer. Part of this information is required for the issuance of the digital credential, while other elements are essential for the assessment and dissemination of the proposal.
3.2.    Certified academic data: comprises mandatory learning-related information that must be completed using a standardised format, as it is automatically transferred to the digital credential.
3.3.    Rights associated with the credential (optional): where the credential confers specific rights to the holder, these shall be specified using the standardised format, as they are also directly transferred to the digital credential.
3.4.    Academic description: complemented by the information provided in the previous sections and including the list of staff, this section presents, in a structured manner, the key elements of the academic design and planning of the micro-credential.
3.5.    Teaching and support staff: list of internal and external teaching staff, as well as support personnel, including the allocation of roles and responsibilities.
3.6.    Financial statement: includes the planned budget of revenues and expenditures.
4.    Accessibility
4.1.    What digital accessibility means and why it is important.
4.2.    Creating accessible material.
4.3.    Accessibility in the Moodle learning environment".
5.    Quality Assurance
5.1.    Information for the Internal Quality Assurance System (IQAS): provides the information required for quality assurance purposes, linked to the monitoring and evaluation of the micro-credential.
5.2.    Self-assessment report: prepared in accordance with the standard template and aligned with the ESG quality standards, this report supports the internal self-assessment of the micro-credential.
6.    Certification, Recognition and Portability
6.1.    Digital Certification of Micro-credentials. How micro-credentials are issued as digital credentials and how learners receive, store, and share them.
6.2.    Authenticity and Trust Mechanisms. Security measures ensuring the authenticity of micro-credentials, including electronic seals that verify their origin and prevent fraud by confirming issuance by a recognised higher education institution.
6.3.    Europass Platform and Digital Wallet. Introduction to the Europass platform as a European tool for managing and sharing skills and credentials, including the registration and storage of micro-credentials in the Europass digital wallet.
6.4.    Recognition and Use of Micro-credentials. Use of micro-credentials for professional development, employability, and lifelong learning pathways across Europe."
7.    Digital Tools and Management Systems
7.1.    Presentation the Moodle functionalities.
7.2.    Basic guidance on user roles and course administration.
7.3.    Familiarization with the IEP-LMS.
7.4.    Creation of the Micro-Credential Course (with a typical micro-credential structure).
7.4.1.    Define Learning Outcomes and Competencies.
7.4.2.    Add Learning Activities.
7.4.3.    Configure Course Completion.
7.4.4.    Issue the Micro-Credential (Badge or Certificate).
7.4.5.    Additionally, for administration purposes: Manage User Roles and Track Progress and Reporting.

TEACHING PLANNING & METHODOLOGY: The course has a load of 1 ECTS (25 hours of student workload) and is delivered fully online. The workload is divided into 14 hours of teaching and 11 hours of group work. The pedagogical model combines the following elements:
- Asynchronous Online Lectures & Tutorials: Participants engage with pre-recorded video sessions on Moodle, covering European policies, the INGENIUM framework, and administrative tools. Each session concludes with a multiple-choice quiz to assess comprehension.
- Collaborative Group Project: Students work in multinational teams of five to design a simulated 1-ECTS micro-credential proposal, defining learning outcomes, ESCO skills, activities, and evaluation criteria.
- Peer Review & Synchronous Wrap-up: Proposals are anonymously peer-reviewed using a rubric covering alignment with INGENIUM standards, creativity, and technical accuracy.
- The course concludes with synchronous tutored and wrap-up sessions to review projects and consolidate feedback
- Assessment: Evaluation is continuous, based on the completion of asynchronous quizzes, the submission of the group proposal, and constructive participation in the peer-review process.

The delivery of this fully online micro-credential relies entirely on the existing digital infrastructure of the Alliance. Specifically, the course will utilize the INGENIUM MOODLE platform (accessible via the INGENIUM Education Platform) to host all asynchronous video lectures, guided tutorials, and quizzes, as well as to facilitate collaborative group projects and peer-review activities. Additionally, administrative processes will be managed through established IT systems, such as the University of Oviedo's application procedure. Because the program leverages this comprehensive digital environment, the acquisition of any additional material resources, equipment, or external services is not foreseen. The current existing resources provided by the INGENIUM Alliance and the participating universities are entirely sufficient and fully adequate to guarantee the successful delivery and management of this micro-credential.

The course is limited to 50 participants per edition, with a strict quota of a maximum of 5 participants per institution to ensure diverse representation. Admission to fill these places may be based on the order of registration.