The UOC participates in the MCX microcredential exchange project, helping students in higher education in Europe to successfully navigate the digital era

Five European universities, including the UOC, are taking part in the MicroCredX (Micro-Credentials Exchange, MCX) project. It represents a step forward in the reshaping of higher education within the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The project started in 2021 and, in addition to the UOC, the participants include the Knowledge Innovation Centre, Tampere University, Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW), Mondragon University, FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences and EDEN (Digital Learning Europe). The UOC's contribution to the project is led by Mitchell Peters.

Higher education in Europe is undergoing a transformation and, against this background, the focus of the project is lifelong learning and employability in the digital age. Microcredentials have become a key tool for meeting new social and cultural needs and a labour market that is constantly changing. The strategic vision of the MCX consortium is, therefore, in line with that of the European Commission for the development of European university networks within the EHEA.

The MCX project is intended to encourage transnational cooperation in order to develop microcredential courses, improve digital training, and promote innovative teaching and learning practices. The project's main priorities and objectives include promoting interconnected higher education systems, addressing digital transformation, stimulating innovative practices, removing barriers to flexible learning, and establishing policies to facilitate the transfer and recognition of microcredentials.

What is the UOC's role in the MCX project?

The UOC has played a key role in the MCX project, contributing to the development of implementation frameworks, recognition strategies and a catalogue of microcredential courses. The university's microcredential strategy workgroup has drawn up a strategic plan, which will be implemented in the 2024/2025 academic year. The institution is committed to integrating wider European standards into its continuing education model.

The UOC offers its microcredential courses as part its Insignia initiative, designed to empower people to manage their personal and professional careers and keep them aligned with changing employment opportunities, making informed decisions about the knowledge, skills and competencies that enable them to learn, improve and develop their potential.

In this context, the knowledge acquired through microcredentials is certified using standardized, verifiable and portable digital credentials that are owned by the student, who can decide where to share them, thereby boosting their personal brand and internationally expanding their employment options.

The essential tools and resources developed as part of the MCX project include a tool for assessing microcredential opportunities, a recognition strategy, a microcredential catalogue and a microcredential network model. The purpose of these initiatives is to make it easier for partner universities to issue, exchange and recognize microcredentials.

Virtual mobility using microcredentials

Virtual mobility via microcredentials offers students flexible and borderless educational opportunities. They can thus enrol in courses offered by partner universities, participate in online courses and obtain microcredentials that are recognized throughout the consortium. The MCX project is intended to harmonize policies and regulations, guaranteeing transparency and accessibility for students, employers and educational institutions. By standardizing microcredentials, the project aims to improve their credibility and usefulness in all fields.

Current phase and future plans

The MCX project's Course Catalogue will be available from summer 2024, paving the way for mobile virtual courses to start and for microcredentials to be issued in 2024 and 2025. The project will act as a pilot for wider initiatives to provide joint microcredentials through European university alliances.

"The MCX project represents an innovative effort in transnational cooperation, fostering a cohesive learning ecosystem that supports personalized educational pathways and meets the needs of a changing labour market," explained the UOC project leader, Mitchell Peters.

By making microcredentials more valuable, MCX helps make higher education more innovative and inclusive. "The UOC's participation in this project highlights its reputation as a leading institution, committed to excellence in education, research and innovation," added Peters. "The university is helping provide students with the skills and competencies needed for success in the digital age," he concluded.