Digital Micro-credentials


A digital EQF.eu micro-credential is a digital representation of a skill earned by someone, consisting of information attached to an image file, hard-coded as metadata for future access and review.

DQF.eu adhere to the Open Badge standards allowing the training providers to issue digital micro-credentials indicating skills, interests and achievements acquired online and off by their learners.

Because the system is based on an open standard, earners can combine multiple badges from different issuers to tell the complete story of their achievements.

Badges can be displayed wherever earners want them on the web and shared for employment, education or lifelong learning.  (Erin Knight's White Paper) .

DQF.eu standards

Framework oriented

DQF.eu standards establish and rule the application of EQF principles and ESCO references to the digital badge technology using the record addressed to the certification alignments. This approach to the digital badge technology makes the DQF.eu to effectively implement the European education framework which is competence-based, clearly documented and understandable, concretely implementable, and accessible by anyone.

Quality booster

The DQF.eu standards are a quality enhancement of any digital badge because, without adding any technological change to the open badge technology, they establish a standard for populating the open badge fields requiring the alignment of the badge contents with the European approach to skills and competences which is developed with the European Qualification Framework, the Europass system, that includes the European Digital Credentials for learning requirements and the  ESCO  database which identifies and categorises skills, competences, and occupations relevant for the EU labour market and education and training


Voluntary application and second level audits and certifications

The adhesion to the DQF.eu standards is free and the platform provide all the necessary information and definitions to apply the required procedures and criteria. It can be done by anyone interested in aligning the digital credentials to the European definitions on skills and competences to ensure the wider understanding of the issued digital credentials in employment, education or lifelong learning. Issuer interested in providing a second level accreditaiton, can receive the  audit and certification by the DQF.eu platform .

Open Badge standards

Free and open

It’s not proprietary. 
It’s free software and an open technical standard any organization can use to create, issue and verify digital badges.


Stackable

Whether they’re issued by one organization or many, badges can build upon each other and be stacked to tell the full story of learners' skills and achievements.

Transferable

Digital badges can be collected from multiple sources, online and off, and managed into a single backpack. Beneficiaries can display their skills and achievements on social networking profiles, job sites, websites and more.

Evidence-based

Open Badges are information-rich. Each badge has important metadata which is hard-coded into the badge image file itself that links back to the issuer, criteria and verifying evidence.


Open Badges make it easy to:

  • Get recognition for the things learned;

  • Give recognition for the things teached;

  • Verify skills; and

  • Display verified badges across the web.