2025 Badge Summit

This is the result of my dissertation work (which is finally done!). I interviewed college admissions officers to understand how they receive and use information about learning outside of school when making admissions decisions (at both selective and access-driven schools). The goal was to understand how digital badges might help with this process to make informal learning more influential / impactful. I will present insight into this sense-making process and share design and usability recommendations for designing digital badge systems to connect/network informal learning providers with college admissions offices. Overall, I discuss the viability of such a system.

What’s the role of assessment in the skills movement? The Partnership for Skills Validation is tackling this question, enabling skills as the currency for learning through principles and best practices. Led by C-BEN and Education Design Lab, this session explores the implications of validated skills for badging, including equity, accessibility, and efficiency. Join us for resources and strategies to advance badging for validated skills.

Explore the power of incorporating evidence artifacts within credentials. We'll discuss how endorsements enhance both the badge and the individual. Providing evidence of skills and accomplishments paints a clearer picture of a learner's capabilities for employers and educational institutions. Endorsements allow third parties to validate the credential and its holder. Join us to discover ways to enhance your badges, fostering transparency, trust, and opportunities for learners in the digital age.

Developing the necessary infrastructure to support microcredentials and digital badges requires thoughtful planning, coordination, and a realistic timeline. This session will provide a roadmap for institutions navigating this process based on the experience of the University of Colorado Denver. Key considerations such as integrating microcredentials into the Student Information System (SIS), defining the Registrar’s role in badge validation, program proposal and approval processes, and establishing learner records will be discussed. Attendees will be presented with the timeline of CU Denver’s activities, including what occurred sequentially and what occurred in tandem.  This session will offer practical strategies and lessons learned to help institutions build their own microcredential infrastructure.

This session will explore strategies to strengthen both academic and non-academic campus relationships to sustain and expand a successful micro-credential initiative. Attendees will gain insights on how to leverage campus relationships to utilize a robust taxonomy for offering diverse badge options for various learners. Discussion will include how to ensure MCs remain relevant and aligned with evolving industry needs, fostering lifelong learning opportunities for campus and community learners.  

The Florida International University (FIU) Micro-Credential initiative aims to empower learners by enabling them to effectively articulate their competencies, fostering success in the 21st-century world of work. As a research university, we recognize that achieving meaningful career outcomes is a crucial aspect of education. The capacity to acquire, enhance, and adapt critical competencies is a pivotal step toward this goal. Micro-Credentialing is gaining traction in higher education, serving as a tool for documenting student learning, faculty/staff professional development, and the expansion of continuing education courses. 
 
The FIU Office of Micro-Credentials (OMC) was established to facilitate the development of Micro-Credentials within and outside the university, ensuring adherence to approved policies. Focused on the in-demand skills essential for success in the 21st century, the OMC encourages collaboration across divisions and departments to support learners in acquiring targeted skills and competencies. A rigorous workflow process, managed by the OMC team, oversees the entire lifecycle of Micro-Credential development, from conception to launch on the Canvas Learning Management System. The Instructional Design team ensures sound design aligned with Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) through extensive reviews of content, assessments, and evaluation methods. A standardized template in the Canvas shell, guided by Instructional Design Consultants, ensures transparency, accessibility, and alignment with quality standards. The OMC further provides resources through a robust portal and employs educational technology tools to enhance the learning experience. A comprehensive quality assurance process, following the Quality Matters rubric, involves multiple levels of review by instructors, ID consultants, and leadership, guaranteeing the high quality of all Micro-Credentials launched by FIU in learners' preparation for the 21st-century workforce.  
 

In today's rapidly evolving job market, students must possess a diverse set of skills to succeed in their future careers. As institutions of higher education, it is our responsibility to ensure that students are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in the professional world. One innovative way to do this is through micro-credentialing, which allows students to earn verified credentials in specific skill areas.
Micro-credentials are short, focused learning experiences that validate and certify students' proficiency in specific skills. Unlike traditional degrees, which encompass a broad body of knowledge, micro-credentials are designed to cater to the specific skills and knowledge required by employers in various industries. By offering micro-credentials, institutions can tailor their programs to meet the evolving demands of the job market and provide students with tangible evidence of their competence.
This conference proposal presents an opportunity for higher education professionals to come together and discuss the importance of building strong campus partnerships to support student career skill development through micro-credentialing at Texas Christian University (TCU). Through collaboration between  Athletics, Career Services, Human Resources,  Office of the Chancelor, Office of Financial Aid, Office of the Registrar, Neeley Professional Development, and Student Affairs, TCU can establish a comprehensive and impactful approach to micro-credentialing that enhances the learning experience for our students and prepares them for the challenges of the 21st-century job market.
Attendees will gain valuable insights and practical tools for enhancing student career skill development through micro-credentialing. The workshop will explore strategies for building strong campus partnerships that empower students for future career success, drawing on the university's experience in implementing this innovative program across diverse departments.
Topics to be covered:
1. Introduction to Micro-Credentialing: Understanding its benefits for student career development.
2. Fostering Campus-Wide Collaboration: Strategies for Effective Partnerships
3. Benefits of a Collaboration Micro-Credentialing Program at TCU: For both students and the campus.
4. Assessing Impact: Measuring the effectiveness of micro-credentialing on student success and career readiness.
5. Best Practices: Implementing successful micro-credentialing programs.
 
The Role of Campus Partnerships
Building strong campus partnerships is the key to unlocking the full potential of micro-credentialing at TCU. By collaborating with Athletics, Career Services, Human Resources, the Chancellor's Office, Financial Aid, the Registrar, Neeley Professional Development, and Student Affairs, TCU can create a dynamic ecosystem that fosters student career skill development. Here is how each partnership contributes to this initiative.
Athletics
Partnering with the Athletics department leverages the discipline, teamwork, and leadership skills inherent in sports to develop tailored micro-credentials. 
Career Services
Career Services play a crucial role in connecting students with industry partners and providing guidance on career advancement. The micro-credentials align with the career skills needed for employability, aiding students in their transition into the workforce.
Human Resources
The Human Resources department integrates micro-credentialing into their office for student workers and internships, serving as a model for continuous learning and professional growth.
Office of the Chancellor
Support from the Office of the Chancellor is essential for strategic direction and institutional backing. This office champions the initiative, ensuring it aligns with TCU’s mission and long-term goals, and gives its student workers a chance to gain some employability skills such as professionalism, communication, and critical thinking.
Office of Financial Aid
Collaboration with the Office of Financial Aid provides support for students pursuing micro-credentials, ensuring student worker retention and continuous learning.
Office of the Registrar
The Office of the Registrar is critical for the official recognition and documentation of micro-credentials. They can ensure that these credentials are seamlessly integrated into students’ academic records, making them easily accessible for future employment or educational opportunities.
 
Neeley Professional Development
The Neeley Professional Development Center offers expertise in professional development and student coaching, aligning with the content of the micro-credentialing program to be directly applicable to the professional world.
Neeley Inclusive Excellence
The Neeley Inclusive Excellence program is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that promotes individual excellence and prepares students to make meaningful contributions to both business and society. This initiative actively pursues diversity through strategic recruitment, retention, and advancement of students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
 
Benefits of Collaboration
Building strong campus partnerships for micro-credentialing offers numerous benefits to both students and Texas Christian University (TCU). These benefits underscore the importance of a collaborative approach to developing and implementing micro-credentialing programs.
Student Benefits
Specialized Skill Acquisition: Micro-credentials enable students to gain specialized skills in areas such as professionalism, communication, and critical thinking. These targeted competencies complement their primary academic pursuits and equip them with practical, job-ready skills.
Enhanced Employability: These credentials serve as verifiable proof of their expertise and readiness to take on specific roles, making them more attractive to potential employers.

This session will adopt a Family Fued style to test people's assumptions about LER implementation and adoption based on lessons learned through work to date. 

• Format: Split the audience into two teams and have them compete in a game-show-style format.
• How It Works:
  • Present survey-style questions like “What’s the #1 reason employers ignore digital credentials?” or “What’s the worst jargon people use when explaining LERs?” - based on SkillsFWD Research and Discovery findings and other research throughout the ecosystem
  • The audience votes via hand-raising, live polling, or a show of noise, and we reveal “top answers” based on real-world data (or just for fun).
• Why It Works: It turns the session into a game while exposing real barriers and misunderstandings in a lighthearted way.

The badging and digital credentials landscape for higher education providers is still viewed as the “Wild West.”   A pioneer in this space since 2018, California State University Dominguez Hills College of Continuing and Professional Education issues 30 credit and non-credit digital badges and certificates. More than 6,000 badges have been issued to learners through CCPE’s portfolio of upskilling and reskilling programs, including Project Management, Human Resource Management, OSHA, Digital Marketing, Business Analytics and many more.  
Digital badge microcredentials are vetted through a robust and rigorous curriculum review process.  Certificate programs are reviewed at the CCPE level (non-credit) or the Academic College and University level (credit).  This process is mandatory before a badge is conceptualized and continues through its issuance to the learner.  
 “What’s next” includes the implementation of Comprehensive Learner Records or digital backpacks/wallets/passports.  The goal is to create a self-sovereign model for managing digital awards. This empowers learners to have ownership and control of their digital credentials to maintain and share with employers,  for current and future for economic and social mobility.
Come learn how CSUDH operationalized digital badging issuance moving beyond the conceptual or proof of concept phase.

Two years ago, the Lab launched the Skills Validation Network, a group of innovators from 15+ organizations across the skills-based ecosystem, with an ambitious mission: to expand the methods, tools, and opportunities available to validate skills gained through work and life experience for individuals who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs).
Applying a human-centered design approach, the Lab team has guided Network members through an exploration of the problem space and  an iterative ideation process, involving co-designing with a number of key stakeholders closest to the problems we are attempting to solve. We will share our experiences with stakeholder co-design and hear how others use a similar approach to solve problems in their areas of interest.

To address needs in Florida to provide a professional development micro-credential for tens of thousands of educators, we automated an assignment scoring workflow in an online course by developing and refining an AI model to scan submitted assignments and score them against a rubric. This session describes the AI model development process and pilot outcomes. The AI system employs pre-built machine learning models and custom reinforcement learning algorithms to evaluate and enhance learners' capabilities through a continuous active feedback loop. Trials of the AI assignment scoring system in the course showed that the model became more accurate, learner mastery rates in courses using the system were equivalent to or better on average compared to mastery rates in courses not using the system, and instructor time saved in scoring can reduce the cost of scoring by one third.

P10M Overview: Explain what Project 10 Million is, its goals, and how it aims to provide free internet access to millions of students who lack connectivity at home.


Impact on Education: Discuss how this initiative can help close the homework gap, improve student performance, and support remote learning.


Implementation Strategies: Share best practices for districts and libraries to implement the program, including partnerships, funding opportunities, and logistical considerations.


Success Stories: Highlight case studies or testimonials from districts and libraries that have successfully integrated Project 10 Million, showcasing the positive outcomes.


Q&A: Allow attendees to ask questions and share their own experiences or concerns about digital equity and access.

As the demand for micro-credentials rises, institutions must design credentialing systems that provide incremental value to learners while maintaining employer relevance. This session will explore how WGU’s Unified Credential Framework (UCF) ensures that all skill-based achievements are meaningful, verified, and portable, creating a seamless pathway to higher-level credentials. Through this framework, learners earn incremental recognition of their skills, allowing them to demonstrate progress toward degrees and workforce-aligned certifications.  
 
WGU’s UCF is built on a stackable model that categorizes different types of credentials—ranging from digital badges for individual competencies to certificates, certifications, and degrees. This structured approach ensures that all credentials hold real-world value and can be easily understood by learners, employers, and academic institutions. Attendees will gain insight into the methodology behind designing micro-credentials that are competency-based, skills-denominated, and employer-validated, ensuring they contribute to career advancement.  
 
A critical component of this framework is seamless technology integration to automate credential issuance, making it scalable and accessible. WGU collaborates closely with EdTech teams to embed digital badging and credential recognition directly into the learning ecosystem. Through real-time data integration with our student information system (SIS), credentials are automatically awarded when students successfully demonstrate mastery of a competency. This means that as students complete coursework, they receive digital badges without additional administrative burden, making credential attainment seamless and efficient.  
 
To ensure industry relevance, WGU works with employers and industry partners to validate which skills should be credentialed and how they align with workforce needs. By co-designing credentials with employer input, we create stackable pathways that provide value beyond the university setting, increasing employability and career mobility for learners.  

Accelerate Montana is committed to working with Montana’s 12 tribal nations to identify competencies learned within cultural paradigms that are largely invisible to algorithms and skill taxonomies. Frustrated by the generic descriptions available from skill libraries, we’re working with the Blackfeet Nation to develop rich skill descriptors (RSD) that translate the living principles of the Blackfeet cultural paradigm into open data standards for inclusion in badges and LERs. This collaborative process recognizes valuable skills defined by the community in their own voice.

As one of a handful of universities that have created or are creating CLRs for exclusively non-academic opportunities on campus the lessons learned at Mines could be useful for other institutions to think about and plan for. It’s one thing to create CLRs of skills gained in academic classes, but figuring out how to track, record and verify learning that is happening in extra-curriculars or even off-campus in internships and jobs is another.
 
In this session I will briefly share some of the hurdles I have overcome getting the CLR program started at Mines, as well as some of the decisions I am working through right now. Then I want to have the audience be able to ask questions and share their experiences so that we can all learn from each other’s journeys. I am hoping that everyone can come away with some tangible options for how to categorize activities and verify them, as well as ideas about what that looks like in a badging or certificate capacity.

With 63% of employers citing skill gaps as the biggest barrier to transformation by 2030, institutions must embrace skills-based learning. This session explores how Universidad Abierta Interamericana (UAI) leverages NFT-powered digital credentials and learning journeys to equip learners with verifiable, job-ready skills. Discover how blockchain-secured, portable credentials drive economic mobility and close the gap between education and workforce demands.

This session will surface misconceptions, generative shared language, and clarify concepts around LERs as VCs through an interactive "Fishbowl" activity. Participants will be encouraged to share their expertise but will alsp practice observing and listening to the perspectives of others as they respond to provocations around LERs as VCs.

The University of South Carolina is leading the charge in transforming professional growth through innovative digital badges and micro-credentials. This session will showcase how USC is leveraging these tools to create personalized, flexible, and impactful learning opportunities for educators and professionals. Participants will learn how micro-credentials validate specific skills, support career advancement, and promote lifelong learning within and beyond the USC community. The presentation will explore real-world success stories, gain insights into the design and implementation of USC’s badge systems with our platform provider, Get Efficient, and discover actionable strategies to enhance professional learning initiatives. Join us to see how USC is paving the way for a future where every achievement—big or small—is recognized and celebrated.

Bring your badge wallet to a next-level birthday bash that will stretch your thinking about what badges can do and how they can connect us: 🎶 music, 🎉 surprise moments, 🎂 cake (obviously), and the kind of spontaneous connections that make conferences unforgettable.


This session isn’t just about digital credentials—it’s about community and the magic of shared experiences. Remember when you'd meet someone special at an event and then pore over the photos on the private event page the next morning to make a friend request? That’s the energy we’re bringing back. Online badges that unlock doors, and IRL badges that unlock online experiences. Selfies with your new friends. Connections that can last through the year.

Higher education is facing many challenges. Evolving curricula, financial difficulties, rising student costs, and increased competition are some examples of issues that higher education institutions are grappling with. Some of these issues have been exacerbated by recent global events such as the Covid 19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. However, there is one issue that acts as a major obstacle to learning, affecting both institutions and potential learners, and has been around since the advent of formal education: access to higher education remains grossly unequal (Stich, 2012). Students from low-income backgrounds, underrepresented minorities, and marginalized communities often face financial and other accessibility barriers that make it difficult to pursue higher education opportunities (Taylor and Cantwell, 2019).
Micro-credentials have been identified as a means of addressing inequality issues in higher education (European Commission, 2021). Our presentation, drawing on examples from Ireland’s National MicroCreds project, will explore how micro-credentials can improve accessibility and inclusivity in higher education by providing flexible, affordable, and high-quality learning opportunities that are accessible to learners from diverse backgrounds. A micro-credential is a proof of learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a short, usually digital, learning experience. Credit bearing, and with the ability to “stack” learning towards a higher education award, micro-credentials offer a way for learners to control their own learning journeys (MICROBOL, 2022).
With the changing face of the workplace and the availability of new tools and approaches, the demand for lifelong learning and professional development opportunities is expected to grow (OECD, 2021). Micro-credentials have the potential to become an increasingly popular method for individuals, regardless of circumstance or background, seeking to advance their careers or improve their lives. An additional benefit of improving accessibility and inclusivity is the increased diversity of student cohorts, where exposure to wide-ranging backgrounds, experiences, and opinions can improve and enhance the student experience for all, not just those of traditionally marginalised groups (Spencer-Oatey and Dauber, 2019). 
However, although micro-credentials represent an opportunity to tackle accessibility and inclusivity issues in higher education, it is important to mirror the student experience with the principles of this learning movement. For micro-credentials to reach their potential then they must be designed with accessibility and inclusivity in mind from the outset of the design process. This can be achieved by focusing on the student-centred learning principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
It is important to note that “levelling up” via accessible learning design does not mean a reduction in academic or teaching standards. The purpose of UDL is to improve the learning journey for all students by incorporating teaching and assessment approaches that address the specific needs, strengths, and circumstance of all students. UDL offers a set of principles for curriculum design and development that strives to reduce education inequality by offering all students equal opportunities to learn (Griful-Freixenet et al, 2021). Marrying micro-credentials with UDL principles brings together two mechanisms for improving accessibility and inclusivity in higher education. This represents both a great opportunity and a grand challenge.

We'll explore the challenges of implementing digital badges in secondary and higher education environments. Digital badges are powerful tools for recognizing skills and achievements, yet their adoption varies significantly between these settings. In higher education, decentralized decision-making, integration complexity, and overlapping credentials affect adoption. On the other hand, secondary school faces centralized leadership constraints, limited resources, and low parent engagement. 
The presentation will highlight case studies, including UT Tyler’s badge initiatives, and open the conversation to thinking about strategies to overcome barriers. By aligning badges with existing programs, training educators, and building awareness, we can foster greater adoption and effectiveness. Additionally, we will discuss cross-sector collaboration to bridge these educational contexts, ensuring a seamless transition from high school to higher education’s badge ecosystem and ultimately to the workforce. 
The session will conclude with actionable strategies, a call for innovative solutions, and a Q&A to engage participants in addressing these challenges. 

As part of the "Microcredentials – piloting a new solution to support lifelong learning" project, we are testing microcredentials for skills development and designing their issuance process. Currently focused on the ICT sector within VET, the project has a budget of €5.7M. It includes developing technical solutions, such as the Odznaka+ app, based on the Open Badges standard.


Pilots have involved various issuers, including universities, schools, associations, sports clubs, and private companies, certifying achievements, competencies, and qualifications. The project emphasizes stakeholder-driven solutions. A national advisory group was formed, bringing together five ministries and key representatives from the education and labor sectors.


During the conference, we would like to present the Polish approach to badges and microcredentials, showcase best practices (e.g., UNICEF badges for inclusive education teachers), and introduce the preliminary quality assurance model, the functionalities of the Odznaka+ application, and our plans for the system's future development.

Credential Engine and the Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC) will present the outcomes of their year-long collaborative project on best practices for issuer registries and the development of an innovative issuer registry prototype. Attendees will gain insights into the benefits of issuer registries, their integration with verifiable credentials, and their potential to enhance trust and interoperability in digital ecosystems. The session will feature a live demonstration of the prototype in action, illustrating its practical applications. Presenters will also share key lessons learned from an applied research approach to technology development, leveraging the unique strengths of a higher education consortium like the DCC and the Credential Registry.

Research indicates that neurodivergent (ND) students in higher education often avoid self-disclosure due to fear of stigmatization (Brown, 2023) and discrimination (Edwards et al., 2023). This can leave ND students navigating their education without essential support. Faculty and staff signaling their understanding, allyship, and advocacy of neurodivergence may ease these burdens. This session outlines a digital credentialing system to recognize neurodivergence allyship and advocacy, with the goal of fostering a more supportive environment.

As microcredentials continue to gain traction in higher education, ensuring trust and quality is more critical than ever. Join us for an interactive exploration of how the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) developed and implemented a Microcredential Evaluation Rubric to elevate its digital credentialing initiatives. This session will showcase the six standards driving UMBC’s approach—spanning alignment, stackability, and external relevance—and how they support meaningful, reliable microcredentials for learners and employers alike. Expect practical insights, governance tips, and real-world applications that you can adapt to your institution’s credentialing strategy.


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Welcome to The Skyway, an innovative global education initiative designed to revolutionize how learners access and manage their personal data and developmental growth. By creating and maintaining connected learning pathways—called Flight Paths—The Skyway aims to empower learners to choose their own educational journeys, accessing the essential skills needed to thrive in the modern world. 


By promoteing educational agency, safety, and access, we can collectively build, maintain, and govern learning "Terminals" and “Flight Paths” for a variety of skills and domains, enabling learners to explore diverse learning pathways aligned with their personal and professional interests and goals. 

In the beginning was Mozilla Open Badges, to open up recognition of people and achievement across a lifewide spectrum, from formal education to informal experience. Recognition as a conversation — flexible and accessible for all.
Then came micro-credentials: badges as handy digital envelopes for old school course certificates. And the walls closed in again. Or did they?
Learn how badges can be more than certificates. Explore how they can help articulate formal, non-formal and informal learning.

IBM has partnered with the Alabama Community College System, Bay Area Community College Consortium, Colorado Community College System, and Louisiana Community and Technical College System to scale access to Cybersecurity and Data Analytics training and certificate programs. These credentials were designed to include ACE recommended college credits and to align directly with in-demand jobs.  As the programs scale the IBM team is building a Talent Community to connect all credential earners with recruiters looking for people with their skills.  In this session we will examine IBM's end-to-end LER ecosystem approach to credential learning, help learners market their newly acquired skills, and develop a network of employers who can monitor and recruit from a national pipeline of certified talent.

We'll examine the challenges along the way - how to make data interoperable, how to capture employer attention, and most importantly how to inspire job seeker confidence and generate results.

According to AI, Digital literacy within the topic of digital credentials" refers to the ability to understand, access, and effectively utilize digital credentials. How do we as Higher Education Administrators create this ecosystem? Come join in a conversation with 4 Higher Education Subject Matter Experts who have a take on what the gaps may be in creating literacy around digital credentials for students, administrators, faculty and employers.

SkillStack®, Idaho's statewide Open Badges microcredential platform, has been in place for over 10 years. It has been widely adopted across Idaho, with over 40,000 secondary and postsecondary learners earning digital badges. A key use case for SkillStack® is the awarding of microcredentials to high school juniors and seniors enrolled in CTE capstone courses. These digital badging pathways incorporate both written and observed career skills assessments conducted by teachers, serving as indicators of students' career and college readiness. 
Within Idaho, SkillStack® digital badges can potentially be leveraged in various formal and informal contexts to provide prior learning credit, facilitate recruitment into college programs, and offer other advantages to badge earners. However, numerous logistical and technological barriers currently complicate this process, rendering it unclear and burdensome for the badge earners themselves. This presentation will delve into IDCTE's experiences and efforts to articulate and streamline these pathways of opportunity for digital badge learners as they transition from high school to college.