2025 Badge Summit

Have you ever wondered which badge is more valuable than the other? Explore a new, comprehensive framework for comparing individual micro-credentials – even if the learning goals are different!  This interactive session dives into stakeholder-centric evaluation, balancing perceived, revealed, and normative values. Participants will collaborate on challenges for micro-credential assessments and design strategies to demonstrate impact on student success and institutional goals.

Innovation in digital credentials, such as badges, often gets stuck in the "messy middle" — where bold ideas meet real-world constraints. This session explores practical strategies for bridging the gap between visionary plans and sustainable implementation. Drawing on global insights and case studies, we’ll examine how to balance stakeholder expectations, technical challenges, and policy barriers while maintaining momentum.

With AI, technology, costs, and credential overload reshaping the workforce, how do we engage today to build a stronger, more equitable system for tomorrow—without needing all the answers? Instead of reinforcing existing barriers, what if we designed for access, opportunity, and learner-centered innovation? This session invites curiosity, conversation, and practical exploration of the roles we can all play in shaping a more just and inclusive future.

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.

The rapid evolution of workforce demands has spotlighted microcredentials (MCs) and Learner Employment Records (LERs) in higher education. Yet, creating effective governance frameworks often feels elusive. How can colleges create governance frameworks that simultaneously align with industry needs while fostering meaningful engagement across internal stakeholders? This session blends discussions, activities, and real-world examples to explore strategies for balancing external alignment with internal cohesion. Attendees will gain practical tools to overcome challenges, foster buy-in, and design adaptive, sustainable governance structures.

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.

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.  

We all think credentials are awesome. What do employers think? In the last two years, CU Boulder launched Google Career Certificates. Students love them! They say these certificates expand their skillsets, unlock ideas, and strengthen their resumes. But a big question remaining is, are students more employable with a certificate? We will survey our spring 2025 employers to get the answer. Let’s discuss what we find and what you’re seeing in similar credentialing.