At the end of last year, the first EduBadges were awarded to participants of the course “Working Together on Lifelong Learning (LLO).” The EWUU alliance developed this course in collaboration with other Dutch universities. With these initial steps in the field of EduBadges, the EWUU alliance positions itself as a pioneer among collaborating institutions in the Netherlands.
For professionals, EduBadges offer the opportunity to tailor their development to personal preferences and flexible learning pathways by creating their own route across different organizations. The digital certificates include information such as the course name and learning outcomes. They remain accessible throughout one’s working life in a digital “backpack” and can easily be shared via LinkedIn or added to a CV. EduBadges will become an increasingly important credential in a world where job-hopping is a lasting phenomenon and where collaboration between institutions in the Netherlands allows educational programs to be combined.
What Are EduBadges?
EduBadges are digital certificates that demonstrate the knowledge, competencies, or learning outcomes someone has gained or achieved during a course, internship, or extracurricular study activities. This aligns with the national trend of dividing education into smaller, modular units and being able to demonstrate acquired knowledge—so-called Microcredentials.
“Within the EWUU alliance, we combine our knowledge and experience in the field of Lifelong Learning. In this way, we enable professionals to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the major challenges facing our society.” Severina Grotenhuis, Project Manager for Lifelong Learning at Utrecht University
Opportunities for EWUU
By awarding the EduBadges, EWUU Education has taken its first steps in this area. The next step is to further explore the possibilities of EduBadges and Microcredentials for the alliance. The aim is to increase the visibility and recognition of EWUU’s educational activities, such as course packages and Challenge-Based Learning courses within the curriculum for students and within the offerings for professionals.
Want to know more about Lifelong Learning? Click here.