INGENIUM launches its first joint micro-credential: pre-registration now open for “Towards INGENIUM Micro-credentials Framework”

The INGENIUM European University has launched its first joint micro-credential, “Towards INGENIUM Micro-credentials Framework”, a fully online, 1-ECTS course that trains staff to design joint micro-credentials and demonstrates, in practice, how the INGENIUM accreditation circuit operates from the initial proposal stage through to final digital certification via Europass.

What participants will learn

The course addresses a critical gap in staff expertise across European universities: how to collaboratively design and manage joint micro-credentials, and how to certify them, in line with current European standards. Participants will engage with the European regulatory framework, including the 2022 Council Recommendation on a European approach to micro-credentials and the Union of Skills initiative, and will learn how those frameworks have been operationalised within INGENIUM’s own policy on micro-credentials.

The programme then moves into the practical machinery of micro-credential design: the structure and key components of an INGENIUM joint micro-credential, the allocation of institutional roles across partner universities, accessibility requirements (with particular attention to digital accessibility and the Moodle learning environment), and the application of internal quality assurance systems aligned with the European Standards and Guidelines. A dedicated block on certification, recognition and portability covers how digital credentials are issued, authenticated and stored in the Europass digital wallet, and how they support professional development and lifelong learning across Europe.

A central feature of the course is the integration of ESCO competences (European Skills, Competences and Occupations) into the design of learning outcomes and assessment criteria, ensuring that future micro-credentials produced by participants are portable within the European Qualifications Framework. The hands-on component, delivered by the University of Crete, walks participants through the INGENIUM Education Platform (IEP-LMS), with practical guidance on creating a micro-credential course in Moodle, defining learning outcomes and competencies, configuring course completion and issuing the final badge or certificate.

How the course is delivered

The micro-credential is fully online and carries 1 ECTS, equivalent to 25 hours of student workload, of which 14 correspond to teaching activities and 11 to group work. The pedagogical model combines asynchronous video lectures and tutorials hosted on the INGENIUM Education Platform, each followed by a multiple-choice quiz, with a collaborative project in which participants work in multinational teams of five to design a simulated 1-ECTS micro-credential proposal, defining its learning outcomes, ESCO skills, activities and evaluation criteria. Proposals are then anonymously peer-reviewed against a rubric covering alignment with INGENIUM standards, creativity and technical accuracy, before a synchronous wrap-up session led by the teaching team.

Assessment is continuous and is based on the completion of the asynchronous quizzes, the submission of the group proposal and the constructive participation of each learner in the peer-review process.

Who can apply

The course is addressed to academic and administrative staff of the INGENIUM partner universities, as well as to external partners with an interest in the design and delivery of joint micro-credentials. This first edition is capped at 50 participants, with a maximum of 5 per institution to guarantee a balanced representation across the alliance. Admission follows the order of registration once eligibility has been verified.

Pre-registration, enrolment and access to the platform

Joining the course involves two distinct administrative steps. The first is pre-registration, open to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria from 27 April to 3 May 2026. Candidates submit their personal and institutional details through the official online form, accessible directly from the course page in the INGENIUM catalogue. The form collects basic identification and contact data, alongside the candidate’s institutional affiliation; it also asks for a Europass Wallet ID, although this is optional and only relevant for those who already hold one.

After submission, each candidate receives an automatic confirmation email and INGENIUM verifies that the applicant belongs to one of the partner institutions. Pre-registration on its own does not yet grant access to the e-learning platform.

The second step is enrolment, which takes place from 4 to 7 May 2026. Once the pre-registration window closes, candidates are ranked by date and time of pre-registration and the first 50 eligible applicants are admitted, respecting the cap of 5 participants per institution. Enrolled participants receive a confirmation email and are then activated in the INGENIUM Education Platform by the technical team. From that point onwards, enrolled participants can access the course space in the platform, where the learning materials remain hidden until the official start date to ensure a fair starting point for everyone. The fee for this pilot edition is fully waived.

Key dates

Pre-registration runs from 27 April to 3 May 2026; enrolment of the selected candidates takes place from 4 to 7 May; the course officially begins on Monday 11 May and ends on Tuesday 30 June 2026. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive an INGENIUM digital micro-credential, issued in line with European Digital Credentials standards and ready to be stored in the Europass wallet.

Further information on the course content and learning outcomes, including the full teaching team, is available on the INGENIUM course catalogue. For administrative queries, candidates can write to microcredenciales@uniovi.es.