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Digital Credentialing

Welcome to the University of Groningen's Digital Credentialing Hub

Explore the Future of Learning and Education with Digital Credentials

In a rapidly evolving world, the need for flexible, high-quality education is more critical than ever. At the University of Groningen, we are pioneering digital credentialing to certify small units of higher education, providing learners and professionals with recognized and valuable qualifications that are easy to showcase, verify, and share.

What Are Digital Credentials?

What Are Digital Credentials?

Digital credentials represent a new way to certify educational achievements that are smaller in scope than a full degree programme. They serve as a quality mark for small volumes of higher education and skills training modules, simplifying the recognition of your learning outcomes by other institutions and employers. At the University of Groningen, we are currently experimenting with certifying ‘accreditation-worthy’ education through microcredentials and certifying skills training through proof of competence certificates, both issued by means of digital badges.

Why Digital Credentials?

Why Digital Credentials?

For Individuals:

  • Quality-Assured Education: Benefit from small, flexible courses that are quality-assured and certified.

  • Career Progression: Enhance your career prospects or facilitate a career change.

  • Personal Development: Tailor your education to your personal interests and professional goals.

  • Future-Proof Your Skills: Stay ahead of emerging trends and industry advancements 

  • Flexibility: Benefit from targeted learning that fits around your work and life commitments.

For Employers:

  • Close Skills Gaps: Address skills shortages within your organization with recognized, verifiable credentials.

  • Quality Standards: Trust in credentials developed and quality-assured by leading higher education institutions.

  • Support Employee Development: Boost productivity and career progression within your workforce by incorporating digital credentials into your training programs.

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Learn More and Get Involved

As part of the University of Groningen strategic plan 2021-2026, we are committed to expanding the use of digital credentials across our educational offerings. Whether you are a faculty member interested in designing digital credentials, a professional looking to enhance your skills, or an employer seeking to support your workforce, we invite you to explore our resources and get involved in this innovative initiative.

Digital Credentialing at the UG

Microcredentials

Microcredentials

Microcredentials are digital certificates that allow lifelong learners to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired after completing a unit of education, smaller than a full degree programme. Unlike a private course, the microcredential represents accreditation-worthy education with traceable and verifiable learning outcomes. Microcredentials can be specially designed courses or units of existing degree programmes. The scope is 3 to 30 ECTS.

Due to legal restrictions, microcredentials in the Netherlands can only be awarded to professionals and not (yet) to regular students. In the context of the national pilot, the Ministry of OCW is currently exploring possibilities for anchoring MC in the Dutch Higher Education Act (WHW). In this context, possibilities to issue microcredentials to regular students will also be looked into.

For a microcredential, the same quality standards are applied as for accredited education.

According to the Council recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability, microcredentials are defined as follows on European level:

‘Micro-credential’ means the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning. These learning outcomes will have been assessed against transparent and clearly defined criteria. Learning experiences leading to micro-credentials are designed to provide the learner with specific knowledge, skills and competences that respond to societal, personal, cultural or labour market needs. Micro-credentials are owned by the learner, can be shared and are portable. They may be stand-alone or combined into larger credentials. They are underpinned by quality assurance following agreed standards in the relevant sector or area of activity.

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Proof of competence

Proof of Competence

A proof of competence (PoC) is used at the UG to certify different forms of skill training. Whereas microcredentials are awarded for accreditation-worthy education, a proof of competence is issued for teacher training or summer schools.

A proof of competence is a (digital) certificate with a stand-alone value which can be used by a learner to demonstrate skills acquired as part of a training course. It is subject to quality standards such as the use of learning outcomes and assessments.

Examples of training courses certified with a proof of competence can be found here.

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Offer

Microcredentials

Proof of Competence

Design and development

The guiding principle in the design and development of the digital credentials at the UG is quality by design. This is reflected in our approach:

Teacher support

Teachers are guided by an education expert in developing an appropriate course design. This includes the formulation of learning outcomes, the testing of these learning outcomes and their alignment with the testing methods. 

Teaching staff involved in digital credentialing is required to have completed the University Teaching Qualification.

Quality assurance

UG digital credentials are subject to quality standards such as the use of learning outcomes as well as assessments.

For accreditation-worthy education certified with a microcredential, the exit level is guaranteed by a committee (the Microcredentials Committee), consisting of experts from the faculties and an education expert from the department Educational Support and Innovation (ESI). To facilitate the committee in this task, a Microcredentials Guide has been drawn up.

By applying quality standards, the digital credentials issued by universities distinguish themselves from those offered on the private market and can be more easily recognised by other institutions as well as employers.

Digital badge

Digital badges

Learners who have successfully completed a UG course that is certified with a digital credential can obtain a digital badge via the so-called Edubadges platform managed by SURF — the cooperative of Dutch education and research institutions. The digital badge is stored on the platform and contains so-called metadata, making the content, learning outcomes, study load, language of instruction and level of the educational activity clear and transparent. The digital badge is therefore verifiable and can be shared in a CV or, for example, on LinkedIn.

Examples of digital badges can be found in the Edubadges catalogue.

Contact

If you are interested in getting involved in the project digital credentialing, please contact the digital credentials team via microcredentials@rug.nl.

Last modified:01 October 2024 08.55 a.m.
View this page in: Nederlands