The project aimed to expand flexible education and training opportunities by accelerating the provision of micro-credentials across European vocational education and training institutions. Sub-aims were: 1) Learn and benchmark to develop effective strategies for delivery of micro-credential courses in VET education and training institutions of 5 partner countries. 2) Share knowledge and tools to accelerate micro-credentials delivery in vocational education and training institutions in Europe. Through these, we aimed to: 1) develop effective institutional strategies for micro-credential (MC) delivery through international benchmarking and collaboration. This included staff training, strategic planning in five VET schools (EE, IR, FR, SP, DK), and piloting MC courses to strengthen partners’ expertise and shift them from passive to active participants in the MC ecosystem. 2) create and share practical tools to support wider MC delivery across Europe. This included development of an electronic toolkit containing instructions and practical worksheets in five languages, supported by sharing practices from pilot courses. Finally, we aimed to disseminate these results to stakeholders to ensure broader impact and scalability.
The project was initiated to bridge the strategic gap between European education policy and the practical implementation of micro-credentials within VET education. While the 2022 Council recommendation established a European approach to micro-credentials to support lifelong learning and employability, adoption has primarily been led by higher education institutions. We applied for this project because VET providers remained passive, lacking the specific strategies and technical guidance needed to transition from traditional, rigid qualifications to flexible, modular learning opportunities. The project addressed the need for VET institutions to respond to a more diverse and flexible training offer to dynamic labor market demands. There was uncertainty and lack of practical knowledge regarding how to design, deliver, and ensure the portability of short-form qualifications within the vocational sector. By addressing these needs, the project sought to empower VET schools to gain more expertise and be active providers of micro-credentials. The project addressed the need for a shared European ecosystem for micro-credentials. By facilitating the exchange and transfer of development practices, it contributed to MC delivery across the EU