The new "ACQF Micro-credentials Handbook" is for you!
Please view, download the Micro-credentials Handbook and disseminate it among your teams and institutions: Micro-Credentials Handbook ACQF_FINAL Version_23.12.2024_WEB_EN.pdf
1. This Micro-credentials Handbook is for you!
The "Handbook on Micro-Credentials" is a resource developed under the project "Supporting Implementation of the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF-II)". The Handbook addresses findings from the first continental Survey on micro-credentials and synthesises global practices, offering a tailored approach for Africa.
Micro-credentials are transforming education and training systems worldwide by offering accessible, flexible, and skills-focused certifications. In Africa, their potential is particularly significant. These certifications bridge the gap between formal education and labour market demands, providing targeted pathways for upskilling and reskilling in emerging sectors such as digital technologies and the green economy. By validating non-formal and informal learning, micro-credentials create opportunities for under-served populations and contribute to fostering a culture of lifelong learning.
Central to the handbook is the integration of micro-credentials into national qualifications systems. This approach ensures their alignment with existing structures, such as lifelong learning policies, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) systems, and credit accumulation frameworks. The result is a dynamic education ecosystem that supports innovation, workforce readiness, and economic growth.
Despite their promise, the adoption of micro-credentials faces hurdles. The handbook offers clear recommendations to overcome these challenges, emphasising the need for harmonised policies, robust quality frameworks, and collaborative efforts between governments, educational institutions, and employers.
Drawing on global case studies and African-specific insights, the handbook provides actionable strategies to realise the full potential of micro-credentials. It aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016–2025, positioning micro-credentials as pivotal to achieving inclusive and sustainable development goals.
2. What are micro-credentials
Definitions across the world
Micro-credentials are defined in various ways across the globe, reflecting the diverse approaches governments and institutions have adopted to meet local educational and labour market needs.
While no universal definition exists, selected definitions included in Table 1 show common themes on providing flexible and targeted learning opportunities that address specific skills and competencies.
Table 1. Selected definition of 'micro-credentials'
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Source |
Definition |
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New Zealand Qualifications Authority https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/tertiary/approval-accreditation-and-registration/micro-credentials/ |
Micro-credentials are small, stand-alone awards with set learning outcomes. They're part of Aotearoa’s education and training system. Micro-credentials recognise learners' skills, experience or knowledge, while meeting demand from employers, industry and communities. Micro-credentials that were quality assured are: · listed on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). · 5 to 40 credits in size (although in exceptional circumstance may be less than 5 credits) · taught at all levels of the NZQCF. · delivered by accredited education providers. · developed because there's evidence they're needed. |
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Australian National Micro-credential Framework https://www.education.gov.au/national-microcredentials-framework |
Micro-credentials are a certification of assessed learning or competency, with a minimum volume of learning of one hour and less than an AQF award qualification, that is additional, alternate, complementary to or a component part of an AQF award qualification. |
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Canada College and Institutes |
A micro-credential is a certification of assessed competencies that is additional, alternate, complementary to, or a component of a formal qualification. |
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Malaysian Qualification Agency |
Micro-credential is a certification of assessed learning of a single or a set of courses which are intended to provide learners with knowledge, skills, values and competencies in a narrow area of study and/or practice. |
Large diversity
The lack of agreement, along with the absence of a global taxonomy, creates confusion in navigating the micro-credential landscape. Furthermore, the literature reveals that the term is often used interchangeably with ‘digital badges’, further blurring the line of what is a micro-credential (Kato et al., 2020; Pollard & Vincent, 2022). Other terms, such as ‘short courses’, ‘training certificates’, ‘certificates of competence’, ‘professional certificates’, ‘skills programmes’, ‘part qualifications’ or ‘partial qualifications’, and ‘micro-qualifications’ are often used across Africa (ACQF, 2024a) and other continents (Cedefop, 2022).
Over the years, many attempts were made to differentiate better the many forms of credentials available in the education systems. Brown et al. (2020) developed a chart to help map the new and emerging credential landscape (see Figure 1). The lack of clear understanding might indeed hinder the recognition of micro-credentials among different stakeholders within the ecosystem, including employers, education and training providers, learners, public authorities, employers, and social partners (see Section 3.3. for more details on the ecosystem).
Such fragmentation highlights the need for a clear standard to define micro-credentials. To this end, international organisations and supranational bodies are working to establish an overarching definition, enabling consistent development, adoption, and recognition of such instruments (see the text box below) The current handbook utilises the definitions developed by the European Commission (2022), UNESCO (2022), and OECD (2020). In our approach, we consider that micro-credentials include a wide variety of learning experiences and are common in their limited duration, emphasis on relevance to the labour market by delivering specific skills, knowledge or competences as well as being affordable, accessible and flexible learning opportunities (Resei et al., 2019). We operate with a wider definition to emphasise that various learning experiences may fall under the category of micro-credentials, regardless of naming conventions and whether they have previously existed, before the mainstreaming of the concept of micro-credentials.
The current handbook utilises the definitions developed by the European Commission (2022), UNESCO (2022), and OECD (2020). In this approach, the Handbook considers that micro-credentials include a wide variety of learning experiences and are common in their limited duration, emphasis on relevance to the labour market by delivering specific skills, knowledge or competences as well as being affordable, accessible and flexible learning opportunities (Resei et al., 2019). We operate with a wider definition to emphasise that various learning experiences may fall under the category of micro-credentials, regardless of naming conventions and whether they have previously existed, before the mainstreaming of the concept of micro-credentials.
Text box 2. Micro-credentials definition used in the current handbook
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European Commission (2022): 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 (2022/C 243/02, p.14). UNESCO (2022): A micro-credential is a record of focused learning achievement verifying what the learner knows, understands or can do. It includes assessment based on clearly defined standards and is awarded by a trusted provider. It has standalone value and may also contribute to or complement other micro-credentials or macro-credentials, including through recognition of prior learning. It meets the standards required by relevant quality assurance (Oliver, 2022). OECD (2020): Micro-credentials are ‘academic certificates recognising completion of organised learning activity may be awarded by educational institutions. These may or may not confer academic credit applicable towards degree programmes. Professional/industrial certificates are awarded by professional bodies, industries or product vendors, typically following the completion of an examination. Digital badges are defined as digital pictograms or logos that can be shared across the web to show the accomplishment of certain skills and knowledge.’ According to this definition, micro-credentials sit with a broader category of alternative credentials (Kato et al., 2020). ACQF (2024): Micro-credential is a certification of assessed quality assured short period of learning, which is intended to provide learners with knowledge, skills, values and competencies in a targeted area and or practice (4th ACQF Forum, Seychelles, 13-14/11/2024). |
3. Main qualities and characteristics
The main qualities of micro-credentials
The definitions considered in the handbook highlight several overarching qualities that shape the concept of micro-credentials. Micro-credentials:
- are flexible as they refer to learning over a limited time and in a specific area;
- are based on assessed learning;
- are often quality assured.
The rise of micro-credentials has been made possible by the broader shift in education towards a learning outcomes-based approach. They are designed to deliver specific skills or knowledge, ensuring that learners acquire measurable competencies that are immediately applicable in the labour market. As such, micro-credentials are intrinsically tied to the (rapidly changing) needs of the workforce and are often cited as an instrument with great potential for up- and reskilling workers (Pouliou, 2024).