Centre for Continuing and Distance Education Centre for Continuing and Distance Education

Swissuni position regarding microcredentials

Context

There is a growing number of ongoing discussions, studies, and projects in relation to microcredentials, rendered necessary by the emergence of alternative certifications (e.g., nanodegrees, open badges) that make it difficult to assess an individual's qualifications, and can even undermine stakeholder confidence in their quality.

These initiatives also demonstrate a proactive attempt by public authorities to address major issues brought about by the digital transition and the quest for sustainability, such as societal changes (new work-life balance, democratic challenges), and challenges associated with the future of work (employability and combating the skills gap). Microcredentials are regarded as a tool for providing more accessible and more flexible learning opportunities with a view to supporting career changes and reducing the negative impact thereof.

The Council of the European Union recommends that Member States adopt a European approach to microcredentials and, in particular, apply a uniform EU definition, European standards, and a set of key principles designing and delivering microcredentials. The objective is to ensure consistent development and use of microcredentials by Member States, stakeholders, and service providers.

Switzerland is in a somewhat better position relative to many other countries due to the current structure of its own lifelong learning qualifications (CAS, DAS, and MAS). In some respects, these degrees actually meet the definition of microcredentials now being applied at European level. Nonetheless, Switzerland is still facing some major challenges and must be more active in addressing the subject of microcredentials.

What are microcredentials?

Microcredentials are documents certifying the acquisition of knowledge and skills following short-term learning experiences. Although they are not degrees, they generally  confer ECTS credits.

The learning outcomes they attest to will have been evaluated based on clearly defined criteria, which is why it is important to have a (national/European) framework setting out the different qualification levels and to establish a quality assurance system based on agreed standards in the affected sector or field. Microcredentials can be standalone qualifications or they can be combined (“stacked”) in order to form more extensive qualifications.

General Position

The members of Swissuni believe that microcredentials are a useful tool forboosting recognition of life-long learning.

The members of Swissuni are in favor of structured development of microcredentials in the area of university-level lifelong learning in Switzerland, in line with the European approach.

The members of Swissuni would like to see the Swiss National Qualifications Framework (NQF) adapted in order to reincorporate the CAS, DAS, and MAS lifelong learning qualifications and to incorporate microcredentials.

Pending this, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) will be used as a reference. The members of Swissuni would like an ecosystem regulating the development and provision of high-quality microcredentials to be established by way of dialog between all  stakeholders in the public, private, and voluntary sectors.

Point 1 – ECTS credits

The members of Swissuni already provide certifications that count towards ECTS credits and validate the acquisition of knowledge and skills through short-term learning experiences or modules included in CAS, DAS, and MAS qualifications. In fact, efforts towards modularising study programmes and increasing the flexibility of study programmes have already been underway for several years now in response to needs identified.

The members of Swissuni would like to adapt the format of the certificates issued by Swiss universities to align them with the format proposed by the EU, which comprises a number of compulsory elements that aim to improve the readability of the documents and to increase their transferability.

The members of Swissuni propose that the microcredentials they issue should not exceed 9 ECTS credits, thereby preserving the readability of CAS qualifications, which require a minimum of 10 ECTS credits. As a rule, microcredentialsshould be classified at level 7 of the European Qualification Framework (such as CAS, DAS and MAS).  The institutions may set level 6 in exceptional cases.

Point 2 – Recognition

The members of Swissuni already recognize ECTS credits obtained outside of CAS, DAS, or MAS qualifications. This practice is regulated to ensure the quality of the final qualifications issued. Indeed, a growing number of degrees are being created jointly or in partnership in order to pool the expertise of different universities, including those abroad. Moreover, it is already possible to ask for equivalence of ECTS credits.

The members of Swissuni wish to encourage the recognition of ECTS credits and thus of microcredentials between universities. Although microcredentials do already boost mobility, there is a need to extend this further.

The members of Swissuni are disappointed by the decision to remove aspects relating to lifelong learning from the Swiss NQF. Reincorporating these aspects would facilitate the recognition of ECTS credits and the transfer of credits to the corresponding levels of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

The members of Swissuni are open to pursuing further dialog with stakeholders, other lifelong learning providers, employers, professional organisations, committees, and parliamentary working groups in order to lay down principles and a system of mutual recognition and thereby ensure that the available lifelong learning opportunities meet the needs of Swiss society and the Swiss economy.

Point 3 – Accumulation, Stackability

The members of Swissuni already offer degree programmes relying on the accumulation or “stacking” of modules as well as short degree courses (e.g. CAS as part of a DAS, CAS and DAS as part of a MAS).

The members of Swissuni wish to continue in this vein by allowing the accumulation of microcredentials to form more flexible and customised lifelong learning programmes that are managed by each individual institution.

Point 4 – Accessibility

The members of Swissuni already offer short non-degree courses to a large number of people and take care to accept candidates based  whose professional and educational history provides evidence of adequate knowledge and skills.

The members of Swissuni wish to facilitate access to lifelong learning at university level and believe that the microcredentials format is an excellent tool for achieving this, while also respecting the rules defined by each institution.

Point 5 – Quality Assurance

The members of Swissuni believe that the quality assurance systems currently in place for degree-level lifelong learning qualifications that are validated under the accreditation framework set out in the Swiss Act on Support and Coordination of Universities (Loi sur l’encouragement et la coordination des hautes écoles, LEHE) could easily be extended to microcredentials without having to compromise on quality.

The members of Swissuni are committed to developing methods for evaluating learning outcomes that are appropriate to very short-term qualifications.

The members of Swissuni propose that the microcredentials they issue should be built on the EQF and that they will advocate for reincorporating university-level lifelong learning into the NQF.

Point 6 – Harmonised National Priorities

The members of Swissuni already work actively with societal and economic stakeholders in order to create lifelong learning qualifications that meet their needs.

The members of Swissuni wish to call for training priorities to be agreed jointly between all relevant stakeholders as part of a national programme fostering the development of skills that will be essential to ensuringSwitzerland’s competitiveness and cohesion as a country.

The members of Swissuni believe that this will allow them to fully assume their role and fulfill their mission of providing lifelong learning by bolstering their position in a competitive environment that is currently not conducive to preserving confidence in the qualifications issued.

Point 7 – Collaboration with the Private Sector

The members of Swissuni are in favor of initially reinforcing the harmonised national and “euro-compatible” framework for microcredentials issued by universities in order to allow the mutual recognition of microcredentials from all universities, universities of applied sciences, and universities of teacher education while respecting the rules applied by each institution. This will involve, in particular, reincorporating lifelong learning into the NQF and developing digital tools to facilitate the authentication and management of study programmes.

Following this, the members of Swissuni are open to potentially broadening the national framework to include microcredentials issued by institutions in the private, public, and voluntary sectors.

Point 8 – Appropriate Resources

The members of Swissuni wish to draw attention to the matter of the resources, in particular financial resources, that will be needed in order to enable the satisfactory implementation of a system of microcredentials in Switzerland.

The creation of microcredentials, the establishment of a mutual recognition system, and other necessary developments will require coordinated investments between stakeholders, analysis of validation files, and provision of information and guidance to candidates (e.g., creation of an online portal where candidates can view available qualifications and/or register and combine their verifiable credentials).

Point 9 – International Position

The members of Swissuni note that several other European countries have already launched ambitious projects for rolling out microcredentials at national level. These involve, for example, setting up a harmoniszed national framework for universities, developing a shared online infrastructure, forging partnerships with industry in order to co-create microcredentials, and developing procedures and tools for validating qualifications and including them in the national framework.