PLA Inside Out: An International Journal on Theory, Research and Practice in Prior Learning Assessment
PLA Inside Out (PLAIO) is the first scholarly online journal entirely devoted to the recognition and assessment of prior experiential learning.
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Where is AI for Recognition on the Hype Curve?
This panel examined where “AI for recognition” currently sits on the hype curve, with a deliberate focus on practical realities rather than over-promising. The discussion brought together practitioners working at different layers of the recognition stack—from platform and workflow design to skills mapping engines and RPL toolkit development—surfacing a shared concern: AI’s potential is real, but its risks, costs, and governance demands are frequently understated. Panelists highlighted several recurring pitfalls. First, trust and reliability remain fragile: AI outputs can be inconsistent at the user-interface level, and hallucinations, timeouts, and variability can undermine confidence, especially in high-stakes recognition decisions. Second, cost and scalability emerged as a major constraint. Participants noted that many AI-enabled services remain stuck in “pilot mode” because inference and usage costs are hard to predict and difficult for smaller organizations to absorb without unsustainable pricing. Third, the panel emphasized the standards gap: recognition ecosystems struggle with inconsistent vocabularies, semantics, and data structures, complicatinginteroperability and increasing vendor lock-in risks. The conversation also pointed to broader issues of privacy, governance, migration strategies, IP/cultural appropriation, and the digital divide, particularly where AI becomes embedded into assessment and recognition processes. A key thread was the distinction between using AI against learners (as an automated judge) versus using AI to enable learners (as a support for reflection, communication, triage, and action). Examples included AI-assisted portfolio reflection prompts, guided “feed up / feed back / feed forward” processes, and the use of verifiable credentials and evidence as stronger trust markers in an era of mass-generated “perfect” resumes. The panel also explored emerging disruptions such as wearable AGI [artificial general intelligence] glasses, raising questions about point-of-need learning, authenticity, and what assessment should measure when performance is continuously augmented. Several contributors cautioned that AI adoption may amplify brittleness and control if it hardens recognition into rigid scoring systems. In response, the discussion repeatedly returned to “human-centered” guardrails, the likely persistence of humans in summative decisions (in some jurisdictions via legislation), and the need for discipline in tool selection,treating AI as one instrument among many, not the driver of the system. The session closed with a comment from Serge Ravet reframing the AI-assessment debate as potentially secondary to a larger opportunity: using AI to move people from awareness to meaningful action, making learning and contribution more visible over time—and then assessing outcomes and transformation rather than static “states” of competence. Keywords: AI in recognition and RPL, trust, reliability and evidence, cost and scalability of AI systems,standards, interoperability, and vendor lock-in, human-centered governance and assessment This abstract was AI-generated from the original recording of the session and then revised by the editors for accuracy and clarity.
Copyright (c) 2026 PLA Inside Out: An International Journal on Theory, Research and Practice in Prior Learning Assessment
This panel session traced the evolution and intent of the Open Recognition Manifesto (2025) as the latest step in a growing movement to reframe how societies value learning and contribution. Serge Ravet situated the Manifesto within earlier initiatives—beginning with the “Bologna Open Recognition Declaration” (2016), the creation of Reconnaître/Open Recognition Alliance (2018), and the Paris Declaration on the Equality of Recognitions (2024)—arguing that informal, semi-formal, and formal recognitions are all necessary and interdependent. He introduced a further effort to operationalize these ideas through a Recognition Practices Occupational Framework and emphasized a central shift: from “recognition of learning” or “recognition for learning” toward “recognition as learning,” where recognition is not an end-stage reward but inseparable from the lifelong process of meaning-making and belonging. Panelists expanded the Manifesto’s implications. Nan Travers highlighted how traditional systems often produce “learning injury” through under-recognition, misrecognition, or non-recognition, and called for full recognition of whole persons across their lives. Ruud Duvekot framed the Manifesto as a call to “storm the Bastille” of entrenched systems by beginning with self-recognition and professional role-modelling, replacing control-oriented assessment with trust, holistic judgment, and reflective practice. Julie Reddy connected open recognition to Ubuntu (“I am because you are”), emphasizing recognition as a human rights and social justice issue, and called for a visible community identity for open recognition practitioners. Simone Ravaioli reclaimed the manifesto as an artistic and visionary vehicle meant to stir imagination, proposing a future collection of lived stories as evidence of its principles. The discussion also surfaced cautions: Alan Mandell warned that recognition movements can become systems of control and ideology, risking distortion of liberatory aims. Contributions from CLOCK (“Collaborative Learning Open Curriculum Kit”) and others emphasized community-based validation, the harms of exclusionary practices, and the need for “do no harm” principles, cultural inclusion, and long-term responsibility (including “seven generations” thinking developed by Indigenous peoples.) The session concluded by positioning the Manifesto as a flexible starting point—inviting participants to “hack” it, expand it, and enact it through practice that builds trust, reciprocity, and collective flourishing. Keywords: open recognition, recognition as learning, lifelong and informal learning This abstract was AI-generated from the original recording of the session and then revised by the editors for accuracy and clarity.
The Universal Micro-credential Framework
The presentation summarized the Universal Micro-credential Framework (UMF), a globally innovative solution to enable granular achievement to be recognized within existing education and employment contexts and to enable more seamless lifelong and lifewide learning and earning. The framework has been discussed in journal paper articles and book chapters as well as an invited article for UNESCO's Cloud publication. The presentation provided key concepts and points regarding current and future use of the framework. The presentation began by introducing the purpose and development journey of the UMF, together with the key concepts underpinning it, including the Capability-Competency Chasm, 21st Century Skills, 21st Century Skills Hours, the quality assurance mechanisms for badging and micro-credentialing, and the role of Design Patterns in enabling the institutional change necessary to fully implement the UMF. The main aims of the UMF are to: 1) better link learning to earning, by connecting existing curricula to labor market data; 2) better link earning to learning, by enabling labor-relevant activities and micro-credentials to be incorporated within educational provision; and 3) provide a universal mechanism to move back and forth from learning to earning, enabling lifelong learner-earner pathways throughout traditional curricula and employment. The first concept defined in the chapter is the ‘Capability-Competency Chasm,’ a term used to summarize the traditional barrier preventing learners and earners from moving with ease between education and employment, and vice versa. The term learner-earner is a coined catchphrase used primarily in non-academic contexts to describe individuals balancing education and employment, either at the same time or consecutively throughout their lives. Addressing the Capability-Competency Chasm with Skills Profiling and micro-credentialing is critically important if educational institutions are to increase accessibility and effectiveness for learner-earner journeys successfully. Equally important is the ability to accomplish these objectives without creating or funding new roles to manage micro-credentials or expecting faculty assessment loads to increase, especially for institutions already strapped for resources. A second core concept underpinning the UMF includes 21st Century Skills (i.e., skills enabling learner-earners to effectively navigate and function in the modern world). The 21st Century Skills can be considered from multiple perspectives; for example, through subjects and thematic areas or in terms of ways of thinking and working. For this reason, no definitive definition exists for 21st Century Skills that can be applied to all contexts. For example, UNESCO and OECD take slightly different approaches. Elsewhere, multiple interpretations exist both in terms of skills and competencies. In the UMF, 21st Century Skills are defined as competencies gained by learners that enable them to self-reflect, self-regulate, and self-optimize their capabilities within and across highly emergent contexts. A third concept that enables the UMF to function effectively is the 21st Century Skills Hour, or more simply the Skills Hour—a 21st Century Skills equivalent to the credit hour, which enables the skills within education and employment to be understood and compared. To demonstrate this quality assurance mechanism in action, Reece's (2022) models for micro-credentialing within UK higher education were considered. Reece's models were used in the UK as part of a national project that explored different types of micro-credential models implemented in UK universities and how they might be applied internationally. Importantly, Reece's models enabled a way to see how skills profiling can facilitate each of the micro-credentialing models, and how to think strategically about micro-credentials regardless of which models an institution of higher learning may implement. Quality assurance is important to consider in this context because it invites greater rigor into micro-credential implementation. In the UK, quality assurance refers to systematic processes and oversight mechanisms that ensure universities maintain high academic standards, as well as guaranteeing consistency, credibility, and public trust in degree programs. Skills profiling methods are therefore designed to uphold consistent value across educational contexts, an important consideration when it comes to institutional policies addressing micro-credential governance. The fourth and final concept of the UMF is design patterns, a term used by computer scientists as a way to identify repeatable solutions to commonly occurring problems. In the context of micro-credentials in education, and the UMF, design patterns can guide the implementation of specific elements of the framework across different educational contexts. The concept of design patterns supports that the UMF is fundamentally a change management effort and design patterns leverage existing research to minimize guess work and maximize customization to preserve what is unique about each institution. Keywords: microcredentials, innovation, assessment, skills, badges, skills profiling, Reece’s models, Universal Micro-credential Framework Reece, S. (2022). Exploring assessment workload in microcredentials: Read the findings from our Collaborative Enhancement Project. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. https://www.qaa.ac.uk/news-events/news/exploring-assessment-workload-in-micro-credentials-read-the-findings-from-our-collaborative-enhancement-project
In 2012, a directive of the European Commission required recognition of non-formal and informal learning. As it states: "Every Citizen has the right to have their learning recognized and validated, irrespective of the context in which the learning occurred." This directive recognized citizens as life-wide and life-long learners, irrespective of the socio-economic background of their parents and grandparents. The promise of recognition outside the youth-focused, concentrated, formal education was inspiring and ground-breaking! The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) articulates level-specific outcomes for qualifications. When re-contextualized to non-formal settings, this recognizes “lived experience.” CLOCK Your Skills, established in 2016, is neither higher nor further Education, rather, it makes invisible skills visible and valued. CLOCK is a structured process that helps people turn their real-world experience—like work, community involvement, or self-directed learning—into recognized credentials. Participants document what they’ve done in a portfolio of evidence, which is then reviewed by experienced practitioners (“Sector Experts”) from their field. These experts assess the work through peer-based evaluation and guided reflection, focusing on what the person can actually do, not how they performed in school. The result is a formal or digital credential aligned to qualification frameworks, making informal learning visible, comparable, and usable for career or educational advancement. This presentation showed how CLOCK's international community has fueled equity, diversity, and inclusion through recognition and empowerment, smashed glass ceilings, defeated imposter syndrome, carried out professional peer reviews, and issued digital badges and certificates. As the presentation pointed out, CLOCK is for non-formal learners at all levels. Keywords: community of learning, recognition of non-formal learning; digital credentials, European Qualifications Framework, digital badges, clock your skills
White Paper: Micro-Certification in France by the Numbers
The PROCERTIF 225 white paper explores the emerging use of micro-credentials and digital proofs of competence in France, examining how organizations and learners perceive their value and how they are currently implemented. The study highlights both the growing interest in competency-based recognition and the conceptual confusion that still surrounds the field: a large majority of respondents report difficulty explaining the differences between micro-credentials, certifications, diplomas, and Open Badges. Despite this lack of clarity, organizations that issue proofs of competencies report overwhelmingly positive outcomes: 87% observe positive effects, while 13% report no significant effect and none report negative outcomes. For individuals, the benefits are primarily related to recognition and visibility of their skills. 38% of beneficiaries report that obtaining proof of competencies makes them feel valued, 33% say it allows them to be identified as competent within their organization, 18% highlight its usefulness for showcasing skills in their career plans, and 9% say it helps them become more aware of newly acquired competencies. The white paper also shows that the issuance of competency proofs is already practiced across several types of organizations. Training organizations represent 54% of current users, while adoption is also visible in the corporate sector, including 61% of large companies, 46% of medium-sized enterprises (ETI), and 18% of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). However, significant barriers still slow adoption. The most common obstacles include lack of knowledge about micro-credentials, technical complexity in implementation, organizational resistance to new forms of skill recognition, and doubts about their legitimacy outside traditional state-recognized certification systems. Overall, the report concludes that micro-credentials represent a promising but still maturing mechanism for recognizing competencies in professional contexts. Their wider adoption will depend on clearer frameworks, stronger interoperability between learning and credential infrastructures, and greater recognition of alternative ways of evidencing skills beyond traditional diplomas. Keywords: Micro-credentials · Skills recognition · Digital credentials · Workforce development
This paper describes an Australian initiative to develop industry utility of recognition of prior learning (RPL), based on the application of new competency-based data ontologies that enable granular accreditation and RPL assessments, leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The platform is a joint venture between research and development consultancy Incept Labs and the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) to support the IPA's Global Certificate of Public Accounting (GCPA), the first professional accounting qualification achieved solely through the completion of stackable micro credentials. A key design objective was to support increased RPL mobility for professionals. Variability in post-secondary education frameworks, inconsistent course documentation, and changing professional requirements limit the efficient application of RPL. To support IPA's new professional qualification, Incept Labs formed a joint venture with the IPA to develop industry utility for efficient RPL assessments. Called Ripltec, the platform enables granular accreditation assessments of other providers' educational programs and detailed RPL assessments for learners. While the IPA is the first system user, it aims to accommodate a diverse range of RPL and accreditation assessments for professional bodies and education providers. Unsurprisingly, designing involves numerous philosophical, methodological, and technological challenges. Providing a learner with RPL is a statement of trust or belief in the capabilities a learner has evidenced relative to a predefined educational requirement. This is usually based on statements of prior experience or evidence of educational attainment. In both cases, the awarding body needs to decide on two main factors: Scope alignment between prior learning and the educational requirement; The quality and level of that prior learning compared to the educational requirement. Creating a system must accommodate paradigmatically different approaches. Most higher education programs are structured around 'volume of learning' or study load definitions. In these systems, learners achieve learning objectives proportionally (e.g., a 50 percent pass) by completing a prescribed number of study hours. This fundamentally contrasts with competency-based systems (common in technical and vocational educational and training), where learners must demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes to be judged competent, regardless of the study hours. Higher education providers and professional bodies independently determine the proportion and granularity of RPL they provide. For example, the IPA has no limit to the proportion of RPL that can be granted in the GCPA Framework; RPL is granted against individual competencies rather than whole credentials or units. Conversely, higher education and professional bodies often accredit and credit whole credentials or units. Methodologically, this is problematic as units from two different degrees (with similar topics) rarely provide the same scope or coverage. Technically, these systems are input-based rather than learning-based. As a result, learners historically receive less RPL than their learning merits, or education providers and bodies have provided more RPL than is really justified. Accounting for the level of granularity in the calculation is therefore crucial. The system leverages AI technologies to support efficiency and speed in processing learning artifacts Initial AI applications relate to document processing, for example: making transcripts machine-readable, or matching similarly worded competency and learning outcome statements. The ultimate judgment of the scope and quality of a learner's experience, however, remains the task of human subject-matter experts. RPL assessments are statements of belief based on evidence assessment. Managing diverse learning evidence for industry bodies and education providers demands sustained effort and intelligent application of AI technologies. Keywords: Recognition of Prior Learning, AI-enabled assessment, competency-based accreditation, micro-credentials, stackable qualifications
Feedback on Digital Badges: Three Years After the First Rollouts
In this presentation, we proposed to share feedback on the use of digital badges three years after their initial rollout within an employment pathway programme designed for the long-term unemployed. The aim was to explore how these digital tools have been received by supported participants, social workers, and employers alike. This presentation also explored the resistance and limitations associated with deploying a tool intended to support skills recognition within a scheme focused on employment support. Combo77 is a program that explores the use of digital badges as a lever for socio-professional integration. The support approach is based on an "outreach" strategy (mobility of caseworkers, use of a fitted-out bus), strong coordination with the local employment ecosystem, and a personalized pathway combining individual interviews and group workshops. To secure pathways and enhance skills recognition, Combo77 has implemented four digital badges (My Strengths, Adaptability, Respect, Autonomy), co-designed with employers and caseworkers, and aligned with the Cléa skills framework (delivering certificates attesting to proficiency in basic knowledge and vocational skills). Two module badges were awarded following group workshops, provided participants achieve a score above 80%. Two transversal badges were awarded by a Badge Committee, based on objective criteria and caseworkers' assessments of participants' attitudes. The badges address several key challenges: employability, self-confidence, and access to rights. Testimonials highlighted tangible outcomes, including improved digital skills, increased pride and self-esteem, enhanced CV visibility, and recognition by some recruiters, leading to positive employment outcomes (fixed-term contracts of less than or more than six months). Keywords: recognition, employability, competencies, learning pathways
Dimitri wants to become a Chef: An inclusive tool
In this workshop, attendees discovered a fun and inclusive tool for exploring the concept of open recognition with everyone. "Dimitri Wants to Become a Chef" is written in easy-to-read and understandable language (It is Facile à Lire et à Comprendre (FALC) in French.) The tool allows you to discuss recognition, particularly with allophones or people with intellectual disabilities. The players followed the story of Dimitri who is working as a plumber and wants to become a chef. To apply to a cooking school, he must provide testimonials. Players are invited to read these testimonials and choose which ones to present to the recruiter Léane, which ones to throw in the trash, etc. This playful tool allows players to explore non-formal and informal recognition. This game is available only in English here: https://www.laboite-a.fr/produit/dimitri-veut-devenir-cuisinier/ > This workshop was also an opportunity to discuss the benefits of creating inclusive tools and games to make sure everyone can access recognition. Keywords: informal and formal recognition, open recognition, tools for recognition
Learning in Lego: Building the Public Infrastructure for Recognition We Forgot We Needed
We live in a world where learning systems are often treated as institutions, credentials, or curriculum, but not as infrastructure. At the Council Advancing Work-Based Learning (CAWBL), we take a different view. We see recognition not as a tool or intervention, but as a public system. This invisible framework already exists in daily life and deserves to be made visible, usable, and trustworthy. This session explored CAWBL's approach to building that system. Using the accessible metaphor of Lego, the audience was introduced to how we designed and now operate a modular, interoperable infrastructure for work-based learning recognition, positioning CAWBL not as a regulator but as a standards and indexing body—more akin to ISBN or DOI agencies than credentialing authorities. The Story: Rediscovering What Was Always There Most recognition systems are built on institutional definitions of legitimacy. CAWBL takes a different view: that Work-Based Learning (WBL) is not something institutions create, but something people already do. We define WBL as any purposeful activity that contributes to personal, organizational, or societal outcomes—whether that is a municipal employee coordinating an emergency shelter response, a worker-owned cooperative training new members in sustainable food distribution, or a Sector Council deploying a new occupational training standard. While the recognition infrastructure remains mostly invisible, our work begins by making it visible through indexing, structuring, and connecting what learners, workers, and communities are already building. The Why: Recognition as Public Infrastructure This section introduced the rationale behind CAWBL's infrastructure, a shared, standards-governed layer that enables recognition to function as public infrastructure—modular, traceable, and interoperable across contexts and lifetimes. CAWBL developed the Work-Based Learning Numbering System (WBLNS) as that layer. Each object—Training Item, Unit, Standard, or End-Point Assessment—is assigned a globally persistent identifier and governed through structured metadata, schema relationships, and publishing rules. These "bricks" live within PathLedger, a public-facing platform modelled after historical apprenticeship logbooks. Users can submit evidence, track progress, or publish new standards. This infrastructure enables lifelong learning to become lifelong recognition—not episodic, but continuous; not symbolic, but actionable. By decoupling recognition from institutional control, the system allows individuals and organizations to participate in open architectures of value, while preserving the structure and trust needed for adoption at scale. The How: Modularity, Stewardship, and Trust This section demonstrated how CAWBL's system works in practice. I walked through how a single indexed object—such as 10.1.0326532-ti00150—can be built, aligned to a competency framework, published in PathLedger, and then used by practitioners, employers, or assessors. Each object is part of a wider pathway and linked to the professional roles of Certified End-Point Assessment Assessors (C.EPAA) and Chartered WBL Designers (C.WBLD)—individuals trained to maintain the integrity and fidelity of recognition events. Importantly, stewardship is distributed. CAWBL operates globally but adapts regionally through chartered Praxis Hubs. These hubs serve as implementation anchors for WBLNS-aligned training systems that reflect local needs and contexts. This modularity ensures the system scales without losing precision or credibility. Keywords: Work-Based Learning, open recognition, public
Recognition Without Permission: Reclaiming Contribution Through WBLNS and Open Stewardship
Recognition does not require permission. It does not need to be licensed or translated through formal institutions. The foundation of open recognition is this simple truth: people can freely, meaningfully, and without waiting for validation from an authority, recognize each other for their contributions. The Council Advancing Work-Based Learning (CAWBL) shares this belief and builds tools to make those recognitions visible, portable, and structurally supported. This session explores how open recognition of contribution is not an outcome of CAWBL's work—it is the starting point. Work-Based Learning (WBL) is not created through institutions. It exists in the day-to-day contributions people make, such as organizing a food drive, orienting new colleagues, designing accessible tools, teaching a trade to youth, or caring for others. WBL is present anywhere people contribute with purpose. What is often missing is not the learning but the recognition of contribution. The WBLNS is a robust schema, but it is not where recognition begins. It begins when we acknowledge the value of someone's effort, care, creativity, or leadership and choose to recognize it, whether or not a system is involved. Work-Based Learning (WBL), as defined by CAWBL, occurs whenever individuals engage in purposeful contributions toward personal, organizational, or societal outcomes. This could be a municipal worker coordinating emergency housing, a cooperative member onboarding a new team, or a skilled tradesperson mentoring an apprentice. Yet, in every one of those scenarios, learning is often overlooked. Not because it is not real, but because our systems are not designed to see it. The Work-Based Learning Numbering System (WBLNS) schema exists to help us see it. In this 20-minute session, CAWBL presented: An overview of how WBLNS functions as a public indexing system for Training Items (ti), Units (tu), Standards (ts), and End-Point Assessments (ea). A walkthrough of the current schema structure, including recent updates: 73 system root prefix (anchoring all WBLNS identifiers under CAWBL governance). Organizational type codes (replacing earlier occupational pillar designations) . RecogCodes (codes indicating recognition status at the time of indexing). External metadata fields, including ESCO (European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations) pillars, ISCO (International Standard Classification of Occupations) codes, and pathway tags, now support classification but are not embedded in the identifier itself. Notably, the session distinguishes between recognition as a human act and recognition as a technical infrastructure. WBLNS is not a prerequisite for recognition—it is a system designed to support, rather than substitute for, the human decision to recognize. Participants were invited into a guided reflection: What is a contribution I have made that remains unrecognized? What contribution by someone else have I witnessed but failed to acknowledge? What prevented me from recognizing that person's effort? What would shift if I did? This reflective component is essential. Recognition systems fail not because the infrastructure is weak but because we are unpracticed in the social act of recognition itself. Without this self-awareness, the best-designed tools risk being used only for compliance, not for transformation. The WBLNS is one model among many but it is a live, standards-governed infrastructure now in use across multiple programs and jurisdictions. It offers permanence, interoperability, and referenceability—qualities needed for recognition to become usable at scale. But it also insists on humility: it cannot replace the human act of seeing and honoring contribution. This session was intended for recognition practitioners, badge system stewards, policy developers, and credential designers seeking ways to ground open recognition in shared public infrastructure without compromising the relational and participatory roots that open recognition must always preserve. Keywords: open recognition, contribution, public infrastructure
Recognizing and Rewarding Engagement with Open Educational Resources: Towards Sustainable Institutional Change
The integration of open educational resources (OER) into mainstream higher education practice has long been recognized as a catalyst for innovation, equity, and sustainability. Yet, despite growing availability of high-quality open content, widespread adoption by educators remains limited. One of the critical barriers to sustainable engagement with OER is the lack of formal but also informal recognition for the time, expertise, and pedagogical care invested in creating, adapting, and sharing these resources. While institutional strategies increasingly refer to the value of openness, concrete models for recognizing and rewarding such efforts are still underdeveloped. At HAN University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, we are addressing this challenge through the "HAN Approach Digital Educational Resources" project. This institutional initiative promotes open sharing and reuse of digital educational resources, with a particular focus on supporting educators in adopting OER in meaningful and lasting ways. Central to this effort is a recognition and reward model that seeks to integrate open practices into the core structures of academic work. In this presentation, we introduced the development, and implementation of this model, which draws from both empirical findings, and theoretical insights into motivation, professional identity, and institutional change. The model recognizes that motivation to engage with OER is shaped by a complex interplay of intrinsic factors---such as the desire to improve education or collaborate openly---and extrinsic conditions, including workload models, promotion criteria, and visibility of contributions. By connecting these dimensions, the model supports both individual agency and systemic transformation. Rather than treating OER as an isolated or extra-curricular activity, the model positions open practices as integral to teaching excellence and educational innovation. It identifies opportunities for making open contributions visible and valued across multiple levels: in individual professional development, within communities of practice at the team or faculty level, and in institutional policies related to quality assurance and human resources (HR). At HAN, we are currently embedding this model into our professional development offerings, piloting the use of extrinsic reward options (such as open badges and awards) but also more intrinsic and informal ways to recognize and reward our educators (such as social recognition, knowledge sharing, and autonomy). We are also working with the HR department to align recognition of OER work with broader evaluation and reward processes. This presentation reflected on key challenges and lessons learned from our implementation process, including tensions between formal and informal recognition, issues of equity in access to recognition, and the need for institutional alignment. We also positioned our approach within national and international developments, including the Dutch program for digitalization in education (Npuls), the Dutch Recognition and Reward program for academics and European conversations around open recognition. Our aim was to provide participants with both a conceptual framework and practical insights into how institutions can create a culture in which open educational practices are not only encouraged but structurally supported. We believe that recognizing and rewarding engagement with OER is not merely a matter of policy, but a necessary step in transforming educational ecosystems towards openness, collaboration, and shared responsibility. Keywords: open educational resources, recognition and reward
Although the cognitive benefits of video games are recognized today, gaming is still rarely acknowledged as a conventional environment for exercising and developing skills, particularly transversal skills. Unless one takes a genuine interest in the topic and actively seeks out resources, the media landscape and public discourse still tend to focus heavily on the supposed negative effects of video games, such as their alleged link to violent behavior. Video games are even sometimes taken hostage by the media, as shown by recent public statements during urban riots. Yet, within those same media outlets and public discourses, we see a growing trend and fascination with the metaverse, augmented reality, or virtual reality now seen as a cutting-edge space for education, professional training, and hiring. It is within this context that this presentation focused on the implementation of the La CooLab concept—on video games as a supportive context for developing transversal skills (including social and interpersonal ones) and, more importantly, as a meaningful tool for self-reflection, identification, recognition, and validation of skills. Are these games dangerous or useful? Are they harmful or beneficial? These were the questions addressed. Based on our research at Temptalab introduced in this session, we launched a monthly show, initially streamed live on Twitch and now on YouTube, which led to the creation of La CooLab. The concept has been to focus on a different game in each episode and link it to what we consider to be a core skill in the experience of the game in question. The goal of this session was to show how these video games can become a valuable tool for reflection, as long as we recognize their potential and make use of their benefits. Keywords: video games and learning, transversal skills, gaming and learning
Competencies and Employability Beyond Borders: Formal and Informal Contexts
Demographic and job market-related changes around the world require increased job and qualification mobility and dynamic adaptation, such as re-, up-, and sideskilling. Countries in Europe, e.g., lack qualified staff due to an aging society, while many young Africans are looking for opportunities without having the formal qualifications according to European standards. Technological disruption creates new job profiles for roles that did not previously exist, while relevant training pathways to prepare workers for these jobs have yet to emerge. In all those cases, relevant competencies are readily available. Some upskilling might be required, but this could be built on existing qualifications. However, these qualifications are often not visible as they do not result from formal education and training offers. It is widely recognized that Open Badges provide opportunities to make those competencies visible, but often there are still no mechanisms in place to identify and assess them to be made visible in a trusted and reliable way. How is it possible to bridge the gap between required qualifications and available skills and competencies? How can available qualifications be made visible in a trusted and reliable way? A cooperation between common sense and the University of Applied Sciences IMC Krems explored whether AI can assist in identifying relevant competencies for a use case in tourism. The case describes a seasoned tourism staff member from an African country without formal training who wants to apply at an European five-star hotel. How can badges be issued which can be trusted by a high-level institution? How can Artificial Intelligence assist in creating assessments and competency descriptions to enhance employability? Can AI assist to translate between different competency frameworks? Can it provide a bridge between formal, non-formal, and informal contexts of competency acquisition? A group of Master students worked on providing answers to these questions and developed a conceptual prototype. The prototype includes approaches for AI and human based assessments (including the interaction of AI and human assessors), competencydescriptions and the issuance of related badges. This presentation presented the results and outlined how they can be used to develop a stable framework for identifying and assessing competencies across borders and across formal and informal contexts to issue badges that are reliable and trusted, thus creating employability and supporting job mobility. This also relates to an initiative with an African Government and its National Qualifications Authority aiming at setting up a National Skills Passport. Also discussed was the question of how skills, qualifications, and competencies can be identified and described to be used in different contexts of mobility, and how they can be translated and identified. Concepts and approaches for the Recognition of Prior Learning were integrated. A supporting framework and taxonomy were developed to ensure quality and enable the interoperability, comparability, and stackability of credentials. This framework was reflected in metadata, which can support machine- readability for evaluation, and data analysis at scale. Thus, it can provide data-based evidence for initiating and implementing national re- and upskilling initiatives nationwide, while it supports job-, and skill-mobility at the individual level. Keywords: Open Badges, AI-assisted assessment, Recognition of Prior Learning, skills mobility, informal learning, competency frameworks
Opening Recognition in the Margins: A Strength-Based, Trauma-Informed Model for Asylum Seekers in Transit
In an era defined by the dual, often contradictory, forces of skills-based migration and unprecedented forced displacement, our systems of recognition face a profound challenge. While host countries experiencing critical skills shortages increasingly look to immigration as a solution, the 8.4 million asylum seekers globally are often systematically excluded from these pathways. The reason is simple yet devastating—conventional recognition practices are overwhelmingly built on the validation of formal qualifications and verifiable credentials. For individuals who have fled persecution—often without access to documentation, barred from working or studying in transit countries, and burdened by trauma that makes revisiting their past a painful ordeal—these systems are not just inaccessible; they are fundamentally broken. They perpetuate a cycle of deskilling and 'brain waste,' particularly for women, and fail to see the vast reservoir of talent and experience that exists within displaced communities. This presentation addressed a critical gap in practice and knowledge by asking: How can we open up recognition for those living in the margins? How can we build systems that are not only inclusive but also restorative? We presented a novel, evidence-based model for skills recognition that is intentionally strength-based, trauma-informed, and co-designed with a community of asylum seekers in a transit country context. Collaborative Action Research in Context This model emerged from an 18-month collaborative action research project based in Hong Kong, a setting where asylum seekers exist in a state of protracted limbo, awaiting resettlement while being legally barred from formal employment and education. The research was predicated on a partnership between a skills recognition expert and a frontline refugee resettlement practitioner. This dual perspective was crucial for grounding recognition theory in the complex, lived reality of the community. The methodology involved an extended period of remote mentoring, followed by an intensive, on-site, place-based immersion. Data were gathered through participant observation of workshops, collaborative design sessions, and deep engagement with the organization's staff, volunteers, and participants. This approach allowed for the organic development of a model that responded directly to the community's needs, rather than imposing an external framework. Our central finding was that effective recognition for this cohort cannot be a single tool or a simple process of validation; it must be a holistic, culturally embedded ecosystem. The developed model was built on two core innovations: a cross-organizational capabilities framework and a two-part learning program designed to empower individuals to both claim and articulate their own skills. The Capabilities Framework: Making Invisible Learning Visible A key breakthrough was the co-creation of a cross-organizational capabilities framework. Observing that significant informal and non-formal learning was happening organically within the organization—through volunteering, peer support, and workshop participation—w e realized the first step was to make this learning visible. The framework was built from the organization's core values, identifying key capabilities desired for growth. It is structured with defined progression determinants (“Support and Autonomy”, “Context and Complexity”, “Contribution and Influence”), multiple levels, and distinct streams for participants, staff, and volunteers. This tool serves multiple functions: it provides a clear pathway for personal development, acts as a recognition standard for internally generated certificates, enables monitoring and evaluation for funding proposals, and, most importantly, provides a shared language of skills for the entire community. It directly answers the question of how to articulate informal and semi-formal recognition into a structured, legible format. Keywords: skills recognition, refugee resettlement, trauma-informed
Scaling Open Durable Skills Microcredentials: A Collaborative Model for Workforce Readiness
In an evolving global labor market, "durable skills" such as communication, problem-solving, adaptability, professionalism, and customer service and sales skills are increasingly essential for success across virtually all industries. These transferable skills are particularly critical in client-facing roles in the finance and insurance sectors, where employers cite a growing gap in qualified candidates needed to meet demand over the next 5-10 years. Harnessing principles and practices of open education and open recognition, this session presented a collaborative initiative to develop and scale open durable skills microcredentials, designed to equitably address these workforce gaps and improve career readiness. Solving complex labor market challenges requires engagement from multiple stakeholders. This project represents a unique cross-sector partnership between the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), a large national bank, OpenStax, and Pressbooks, each contributing distinct expertise: MCCCD, a national leader in workforce development, provides instructional design, curriculum alignment with industry needs, and integration into programs like the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) microcredential pathway. It also coordinates stakeholder engagement and ensures that the microcredentials support economic mobility, and equitable learner access. The large national bank provides employer insight on the durable skills needed for success in financial service roles, informing competency-based assessments and scenario-based training aligned with hiring needs and performance expectations. OpenStax, a nonprofit based at Rice University, contributes high-quality, openly licensed content, and develops modular, asynchronous learning experiences that are accessible, inclusive, and pedagogically sound. Pressbooks provides the infrastructure to publish, tag, and distribute microcredential content in accessible, standards-aligned formats, supporting LMS integration and broad reuse of learning content. This project organized durable skills into 11 microcredential modules, each focused on areas such as communication, cultural awareness, initiative, technological literacy, and service and sales. These competency-based, self-paced microcredentials include assessments based on real financial service scenarios. Responding to industry priorities, the project is starting with the service and sales skills microcredential pathway. The development process employs a collaborative model to ensure open durable skills microcredentials meet the needs of industry and educational stakeholders. Each module integrates case studies and interactive learning components initially tailored to finance and insurance settings, but intended for modular use and adaptation to other contexts. The partners are implementing a national dissemination strategy that includes faculty training, workforce board outreach, partnerships with additional colleges and universities, and alignment with frameworks such as the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and Education Design Lab (EDL). The initiative also addresses technology needs for microcredential validation, discoverability, and localization of modularized microcredential pathways. The open licensing model supports adaptation by other organizations inside and outside the US, allowing them to tailor modules to their own regional and sectoral needs, as well as delivery preferences, while maintaining core skill integrity. Given that the materials are openly licensed, the project will offer opportunities for students to complete the durable skills model and assert the recognition process, enabling an open recognition component. In addition to discussing the project structure and implementation approach, the session will surface critical challenges inherent in scaling open durable skills microcredentials at a national level. Presenters showcased early outcomes, shared key design artifacts, and engaged attendees in dialogue around sustaining cross-sector collaboration in open credentialing. Keywords: microcredentials, durable skills, Open Educational Resources (OER), collaboration, Open Recognition
Bridging the Trust Gap: A 4-Layer Model (and Bot) for Open, Credible Credentials
As this presentation made clear, the Open Recognition movement has transformed how learning and achievement are acknowledged by embracing informal, peer-based, and community-issued recognition alongside formal credentials. This shift has opened powerful new pathways for inclusion, autonomy, and lifelong learning. But as more people issue and share credentials, a key question remains: What makes an open credential trustworthy to someone outside the issuing context—like an employer, university, or platform? This session introduced the Credential Trust Model (CTM), a four-layer framework that helps credential designers, platforms, and communities build structured trust into open, decentralized recognition systems. Designed to be both rigorous and adaptable, the CTM draws on global credentialing practice and is deeply aligned with Open Recognition values. The four layers of trust are: Design Trust -- Is the credential clearly described, visually coherent, and structured in a way that reflects meaningful achievement? This layer focuses on metadata, assessment criteria, skills taxonomy alignment, and issuer reputation. Process Trust -- Was the credential earned through a documented, fair, and transparent process? This includes learning pathways, assessment methods, endorsement by quality assurance partners, and alignment with recognized standards. Consumer Trust -- Do external organizations value and use the credential? Examples include employer or university endorsement, integration into job platforms, and credential-based admissions or hiring. Social Trust -- Is the credential visible in the real world? Trust deepens when credentials are shared by earners, supported by success stories, and recognized by peers, thought leaders, and professional communities. To bring these layers to life, the session included a practical demonstration of how the CTM can be applied to evaluate and improve real credentials. Attendees explored examples from both community and institutional issuers to see how trust signals can be surfaced, strengthened, and made interoperable. Real-world examples were shared and scored manually to illustrate the CTM principles in action. Participants left the session with a clear understanding of how to apply the Credential Trust Model in their own context --- whether issuing badges in a grassroots learning community, designing a micro-credential for workforce development, or helping others improve the quality and transparency of their recognition practices. By structuring trust without centralizing control, the Credential Trust Model offers a practical bridge between openness and credibility. It supports the values of Open Recognition by helping ensure that all forms of learning—formal or informal, individual or peer-drivenn—can be seen, shared, and believed. Keywords: open recognition, credentialing, Credential Trust Model (CTM), badges, micro-credentials
Creating Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) 2001: Introduction to Reflective Practice and PLAR Portfolio Building
At our Canadian university, students receive credit for non-formal and informal learning by writing a competency-based portfolio. Until recently, this was largely a solitary endeavor for students, and we aimed to scale this process as many students struggled with completing a portfolio. We felt assisting students to articulate their prior learning would enable them in the process. We created the open learning course, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) 2001: Introduction to Reflective Practice, and PLAR Portfolio Building. Following substantial effort, we secured institutional and governance approval for course design. Students explore reflective practice, adult learning theories, and frameworks such as Bloom's Taxonomy to identify appropriate learning levels. Our objective is to assist students in building a portfolio by mapping their learning across eight competencies. The courses address several core competencies: Communication; Teamwork and leadership; Information gathering and organization; Problem-solving and decision-making; Numeracy; Critical and creative thinking; Independent learning and intellectual maturity; Applied knowledge and skills. We followed a Community of Inquiry model, which rests on three guiding principles: focused, meaningful content; strong social connection; and invested teacher presence. To further decolonize our practice, we prioritize student choice, allowing students to present competencies in their preferred order and use provided tools to demonstrate their competencies in a variety of ways. Learners are encouraged to validate cultural knowledge and reflect on transferrable skills rooted in their unique contexts and traditions. Students were given exemplars, criteria, and examples from diverse learners so they can see where their own learning might fit into each competency. In this presentation, participants explored student activities in the new PLAR courses and accessed resources, such as the course-accompanying textbook. Participants asked questions and shared feedback on the course. By the end of the presentation, participants were able to articulate the value of competency-based assessment for their home institutions, evaluate practical PLAR activities, and reflect on their own assessor learning journeys. Attendees gained actionable tools and access to open-educational resources to enhance institutional assessment practices and support learners in validating their prior learning. Keywords: assessment, competency, pedagogy, community of inquiry
Book Talk: When Credentials Cause Harm: Unpacking the Risks of Verifiable Learning and Work Records
Verifiable Learning and Employment Records (LERs) and digital credentials promise a new era of mobility, recognition, and self-sovereignty. They are being rapidly deployed across education, workforce, and government systems as tools to improve hiring equity, skills recognition, and lifelong learning. But behind this promise lies a growing and underexamined reality: these technologies can also harm the very people they aim to empower. Based on the new book When Credentials Cause Harm, this presentation explores the risks and inequities embedded in the design, deployment, and governance of digital credentialing systems. Drawing on real-world case studies, international frameworks, and original research, Dr. Kelly Page walks attendees through the unintended consequences of LERs, including surveillance, misrepresentation, exclusion, platform dependency, and the erosion of consent. The session posed critical questions: Who decides what constitutes a valid skill and is recognized in a credential? What frameworks shape credentialing systems, and who gets left out? Why do so many platforms prioritize vendor opportunity and market incentives over human needs? And most importantly, how do we design alternative models of trust and recognition that truly center equity, justice, and care? This presentation invites technologists, policymakers, researchers, and community practitioners to see digital credentials not as neutral tools but as socio-technical systems with real human consequences. It calls for accountability and consent frameworks that go beyond technical interoperability toward social interoperability grounded in justice and care. Although enthusiasm for digital credentials is growing, few forums critically examine their risks, particularly for marginalized communities. This presentation addresses that gap by highlighting systemic design issues, funding incentives, and governance failures that often remain invisible. The topic is especially timely as governments, agencies, and technology vendors rapidly scale verifiable Learning and Employment Record (LER) systems with limited public understanding or oversight. It speaks to audiences committed to innovation in the public interest and willing to ask not only whether we can build such systems, but whether we should—and for whom. The aim of the presentation was to: Expose the hidden risks and social harms of digital credentialing systems. Increase awareness of equity and justice concerns in LER design and deployment. Provide attendees with a critical lens and practical design alternatives. Mobilize support for new accountability efforts through the Paris Declaration for Open Recognition. Participants were able to: Identify at least three ways digital credentials can reinforce inequity or cause harm. Analyze the role of funding and governance in shaping digital credential infrastructure. Apply key design principles for ethical and inclusive credentialing. Assess the impact of credential frameworks on recognition systems. Engage with a global movement toward ethical oversight through the Paris Declaration for Open Recognition. Keywords: digital credentials, Learning and Employment Records (LERs)
Open Recognition for Impact Beyond Skills: Towards Transitions
Kosmio, a European company that develops digital platforms to drive sector-specific transitions, presented an integrated data architecture for making regulatory and standards compliance more efficient and effective at delivering the impact they were designed to provide. This architecture includes Open Badges as recognition vehicles not only for individuals, but also for organizations, projects, and products. Across Europe, many organizations experience what is often called "regulation fatigue": the growing burden of reporting, compliance, and certification requirements. While this bureaucracy is frequently seen as a constraint, it can also be transformed into a strategic advantage. If implemented effectively, regulation becomes not only a driver of trust and accountability but also a competitive advantage, positioning European actors ahead of global competitors who are slower to embrace sustainability standards. However, this potential is only unlocked if regulation is made more efficient, interoperable, and transparent. Today, too many efforts are wasted in redundant reporting, fragmented data collection, and manual compliance processes. To overcome this, we must deploy the right technologies: digital tools that can automate reporting, ensure trust, and make compliance processes more fluid. At the heart of this transformation lies the need for a shared and trusted data infrastructure. A system where data can be collected once, structured according to common standards, and reused across multiple purposes. This vision is made possible by the combination of three complementary frameworks. First, Data Spaces provide the federated environments where actors can share information securely while preserving sovereignty and interoperability. Second, MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) methods ensure that the data flowing through these spaces is structured, validated, and transformed into verifiable certificates of impact. Finally, Open Badges as a universally understandable way to display, communicate, and prove compliance, achievements, and impact, not only for individuals, but also for organizations, projects, and products. Traditionally, Open Recognition has mainly been applied to individuals, recognizing skills, competencies, and learning achievements. Extending this principle to companies, projects, and products creates a powerful new opportunity. Impact recognition can provide organizations with a trusted way to demonstrate compliance, showcase sustainability performance, and differentiate in global markets. Projects can use recognition to prove their contribution to transitions, while products can carry trusted marks of social or environmental value. This not only builds credibility with regulators, partners, and customers, but also creates new avenues for visibility, market access, and collective learning across ecosystems. This integrated approach turns the burden of regulation into a catalyst for innovation, trust, and competitiveness. It enables companies, territories, and coalitions not only to comply but to thrive, making compliance a driver of impact recognition and of Europe's leadership in sustainable transitions. Keywords: regulation, MRV, data spaces, impact recognition, Open Badges
'Mind the (Skills) Gap': Micro-credentials in the Skills Development Toolkit of Employers and Industrial Ecosystems
In a world of fast-evolving upskilling and reskilling needs, micro-credentials have been gaining momentum as agile and complementary ways of acquiring, certifying, and making skills and competences visible. Recognizing their potential, many countries are exploring or have started integrating micro-credentials into their national qualifications frameworks, facilitating transparency, trust, portability, and alignment with existing education and training systems. The recognition of micro-credentials, however, still shows inconsistencies in these formal systems. Combining micro-credentials with open recognition principles can unlock untapped potential at the workplace, a key space where skills and competences are applied. A primary attraction of micro-credentials, and similar short forms of learning, is that they can be tailored for specific skills requirements. They are also quicker to develop and deploy, smaller in size, and have the flexibility to fit around the schedule of professionals. Developing a culture of recognition provides context and ensures visibility and esteem for the skills and competences in the workplace and in the broader industry. The combination of the two offers employers an intriguing way to develop a competitive advantage, attract, and retain talent, and address skills gaps amid rapid digital transformations. These powerful forces increasingly position employers as drivers of micro-credential development, which is evidenced by the growing number of provider and industry partnerships in this space. There is scope, however, for employers to take an even more active role across the life-cycle, going from design through recognition to championing micro-credentials. What does such an active role look like in practice? What support structures can facilitate industry and employer engagement, offering an entry point and a community to deepen practices? What makes a community of practice effective? This presentation explored various European-funded projects, national-level initiatives, European initiatives, and flagship actions supporting the Union of Skills to provide food for thought in this space. Examples will include thematic, industry-driven collaborative structures for up- and reskilling, such as the Large-Scale Partnerships within the Pact for Skills. These multi-stakeholder and multi-country communities of practice are dedicated to strengthening collective action on skills development for their respective industrial ecosystems. Focusing on joint actions for the green and digital transitions, individual Large-Scale Partnerships define up-and reskilling commitments across their industries that incorporate multiple approaches, including micro-credentials. The presentation also included initiatives that are education provider-driven, such as the European University Alliances, contrasting these approaches. With 65 such Alliances encompassing more than 570 higher education institutions of all types and from across Europe, the EUAs are a significant strategic development in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The presentation reflected on thematically focused Alliances of Technological Universities or Universities of Applied Sciences where close industry collaborations are at the core of institutional and Alliance missions. To offer complementary perspectives, national initiatives, such as the Skillnet Ireland network, were also highlighted. Focusing on talent development, the 70 thematic or region-focused private-sector Skillnet Business Networks across Ireland are hives of activity addressing skills needs and providing upskilling and reskilling programs. A national agency of Ireland, Skillnet Ireland provides a vehicle for highly focused industry, education, and training sector collaborations. Concentrating mainly on European and some national-level examples, the presentation also examined how such macro-level practices can provide spill-over effects for developing employer-level approaches. Keywords: micro-credentials, industry ecosystems, European initiatives, communities of practice
Skill Savings Accounts: Reimagining Employee Education Benefits
As technology, automation, and global competition make a wide range of skills obsolete at an astounding pace, the United States faces significant upskilling and reskilling challenges. In response to these challenges to the nation’s economy and productivity posed by what amounts to a growing skills gap, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has reimagined existing employee education benefits to create a more worker-centered solution: the Skill Savings Account. This innovative financial tool, which was introduced and discussed in this session, offers a new way to fund learning and skill-building needs, while also incentivizing employees to keep their skills current. In effect, Skill Savings Accounts can provide easy access to money that any employee can use to purchase a wide range of upskilling and reskilling opportunities (such as trainings, long- and short-term courses, community-based nonprofit skill offerings, bootcamps, and online courses) that, importantly, can be documented and verified digitally. As this session emphasized, such a reimagining of workforce investment and employee education benefits can help to build a powerful skills development marketplace and, in so doing, contribute to economic growth and competitiveness. Keywords: skills gap, skill-building needs, skill savings account
Designing Recognition that Works: Connecting the Dots from Experience to Credential with MyCPL
This presentation explored how recognition systems can be designed to work more effectively by connecting lived experience to credentials through trust-centered, data-informed practices, illustrated by the development of MyCPL (Credit for Prior Learning). Framed against a period of rapid disruption likened to a societal “tornado” as in the Wizard of Oz, the session argued that attempts to overly control complexity in learning, workforce, and credentialing systems are ultimately unsustainable. Instead, recognition should be approached as part of a decentralized learning ecology grounded in human intelligence, trust, and shared responsibility. Drawing on two decades of work in prior learning assessment and recognition (PLA/PLAR), data standards, and large-scale system integration, David Moldoff traced the evolution from reactive, costly recognition processes toward more proactive models. These proactive approaches include structured transfer pathways, credential mapping, and learner-centered workflows that reduce friction while increasing transparency and fairness. Central to this shift is the use of structured data standards (e.g., schema-based representations such as Credential Transparency Description Language or CTDL) that enable interoperability, reduce duplication, and improve visibility in search and AI-driven environments. As search engines increasingly prioritize structured data over free-text content, institutions that fail to adapt risk diminished discoverability and competitiveness for learners and employers alike. The presentation emphasized trust—described as a critical but often overlooked “vitamin”—as the foundation of recognition systems. Trust must exist not only between learners and institutions, but also within the data practices that underpin credentialing, transfer, and assessment. Annual catalog refreshes, unstructured PDFs, and vendor-driven replication of legacy practices were identified as systemic barriers that impose collective costs and inhibit meaningful recognition. MyCPL was presented as an example of a staged, human-centered recognition process that blends technology with guided human engagement. By sequencing review, assessment, advising, and confirmation steps, the model supports learners in articulating their experiences while building confidence, affirmation, and persistence. The session argued that affirmation—the human act of being seen and encouraged—is as vital as formal recognition itself, using The Wizard of Oz as a metaphor for exposing the humanity behind institutional authority to recognize and affirm. In conclusion, the presentation positioned current disruption not as an existential threat but as an opportunity to reimagine recognition systems that are more inclusive, proactive, and scalable. By balancing reactive and proactive efforts, leveraging structured data, and centering trust and affirmation, recognition practices can expand access, improve mobility, and better serve learners across diverse pathways. Keywords: Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL / PLA / CPL), trust, structured data and interoperability, learning mobility and transfer, human-centered recognition systems
Editorial Board Carl Burkart (Co-Editor) Deb Carr (Guest Editor) Alexa Collesides (Editorial Team Member) Ruud Duvekot (Co-Editor) Susan Forseille (Co-Editor) Amy Giaculli (Associate Editor) Alan Mandell (Founding Co-Editor) Nan Travers (Founding Co-Editor) Don Presant (Guest Editor) Serge Ravet (Guest Editor)
Leveling Up Recognition: Navigating the Challenges of Open Badges in Professional Game Industry Contexts
The Gamebadges project is developing the first Europe-wide, competence-based Open Badge ecosystem tailored to the needs of the game industry and game education. The ecosystem consists of a publicly available Competence Map and more than 400 digital badges across three levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold). It is implemented by a consortium of nine partner organizations from five European countries, combining expertise from vocational education and training (VET), higher education, and professional game development. A central aim of the project is to harmonize job titles and related skill sets across a young industry. The badges are designed to complement portfolios and résumés by adding structured, criteria-based competence validation grounded in documented evidence. While the ecosystem serves both educational institutions and companies, this paper focuses on the industry perspective, where badge-based recognition is still emerging and raises specific structural and cultural questions. Opportunities and Strengths From an industry standpoint, the ecosystem offers several strategic advantages: Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Supports validation of informal, self-directed, and work-based learning. Cross-border transparency: Enables shared visibility of competences in a mobile, project-based sector. Shared terminology: Creates a common language for skills that are often implicit or interpreted differently across companies and regions. Evidence-based validation: Allows professionals to use prior work (when shareable) as structured evidence aligned with defined competence criteria. Career development pathways: Connects competence levels to training, feedback, and progression from Bronze to Silver, and Gold. Enhanced professional profiles: Adds standardized, transparent validation alongside portfolios, and résumés. Together, these elements aim to lower structural and cultural barriers across Europe and support labor mobility within the creative technology sector. Key Challenges and Open Questions At the same time, implementing a large-scale professional badge ecosystem introduces significant tensions: Trust and distance: Validation becomes complex when evaluators and applicants lack shared context or direct interaction. Confidentiality constraints: Internal company materials (NDA protected) may not be shareable as evidence. Platform and scalability limits: Many badge platforms were not designed for decentralized, cross-organizational ecosystems. System integration: Companies may already have internal performance evaluation systems, leading to redundancy or misalignment. Gold-level recognition: Motivating highly experienced professionals to apply for formal recognition can be difficult if the added value is unclear. Quality Assurance and Professional Progression A central theme in the conference discussion was quality assurance (QA). When participants were asked whether a 100 percent reliable and fully credible competence validation system is possible, no one indicated agreement. This suggests a crucial insight: a certain degree of uncertainty is inherent in all assessment systems. Rather than pursuing absolute certainty, credibility must be built through transparency, shared criteria, documented evidence, and iterative improvement. An additional perspective emerged in the discussion of the Bronze—Silver—Gold structure. Rather than functioning as a competitive ranking, the levels were understood as markers of progression from peripheral participation toward recognized expertise. In this sense, badges make professional growth visible and provide meaningful milestones along a developmental path. A related concern was also raised regarding the large number of badges, which may increase the overall complexity of the ecosystem. Proof of Concept and Research Trajectory The Gamebadges initiative (2024-2026) is currently in a proof-of-concept phase, focusing on piloting, iterative refinement, and data collection. The objective is to identify and evaluate best practices for transparent, credible, and scalable badge-based competence recognition in professional environments. Findings from ongoing trials will inform the next development stage and contribute to broader discussions on the design and quality assurance of emerging credentialing ecosystems. Researchers, educators, and industry stakeholders interested in further information or collaboration are welcome to contact the authors through the website at gamebadges.eu. Keywords: Open Badges, micro-credentials, quality assurance competence validation, game industry
What If Open Recognition via Open Badges Were Deployed Exclusively in Closed Environments?
Open badges are being piloted in higher education institutions in Bourgogne Franche-Comté, notably with support from the Research and Innovation in Training and Learning Media (RITM-BFC) for several years. The results of the use and deployment of this tool are varied and sometimes contradictory, depending on the research focus or field observation. Drawing on research conducted in higher education, we can observe the appeal and interest in open badges among students, which comes up against resistance to change from teaching teams and governance bodies. It is also interesting to highlight the influence of the sociodemographic characteristics of the learning population, which calls into question the very principle of equity in open education and open recognition. In light of the "Circular of March 23, 2022 on the Engagement, Encouragement, and Support of Student Initiatives within Higher Education Institutions under the Supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research," a practical challenge arises in collecting evaluation data on the implementation of open badges and the impact of their recognition by the institution and the socioeconomic world. This presentation aimed to offer a critical perspective and invited the audience to reflect on their use of open badges: Are open badges truly part of an open recognition approach? And is this recognition genuinely accessible to everyone, even beyond the limited circle of the open badge community? Keywords: higher education, critical approach, open recognition, equity
Re-personalizing Recognition in a Highly Formalized Context: A Case Study on Novel Recognition Approaches for the Health Care Sector in the Netherlands
<span class="NormalTextRun SCXW51863202 BCX8" data-ccp-parastyle="p1" data-ccp-parastyle-defn="{"ObjectId":"5608de39-acc8-52c5-8723-06e2503f1031|1","ClassId":1073872969,"Properties":[469777841,"Times New Roman",469777842,"Times New Roman",469777843,"Times New Roman",469777844,"Times New Roman",469769226,"Times New Roman",469775450,"p1",201340122,"2",134233614,"true",469778129,"p1",335572020,"1",268442635,"24",134233118,"true",134233117,"true",469778324,"Normal"]}">When It comes to recognition, the regulated health care professions are often cited as the context par excellence where rigorous formal standards should be maintained (“I should be certain the skills and competencies of the doctor performing surgery on me have been thoroughly checked”), and therefore heavily bureaucratized procedures for international recognition of professions within this sector are often regarded as an inevitable necessity in public discourse. However, gaining access to regulated health care professions is often perceived as an arduous process from the perspective of the international health care worker, especially when their learning experiences have predominantly taken place in a non-European/Western context. In the Netherlands, recognition in the context of the health care sector is multifaceted due to a variety of actors and authorities involved, and the formal process candidates must undergo is poorly understood by both the candidate and by many employers in the health care sector<span class="NormalTextRun SCXW51863202 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="s1" data-ccp-charstyle-defn="{"ObjectId":"65adc4b8-9fe6-5d96-a288-b4732a2d40b3|1","ClassId":1073872969,"Properties":[469777841,"Times New Roman",469777842,"Times New Roman",469777843,"Times New Roman",469777844,"Times New Roman",469769226,"Times New Roman",469775450,"s1",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"s1",335572020,"1",469778324,"Default Paragraph Font"]}">. In addition, the process of recognition takes place in a complex sociocultural setting, where candidates have to navigate numerous challenges, from strained financial resources, difficulties in finding adequate housing, language barriers, cultural differences in conducting work, and cases of outright discrimination. As a consequence, under-recognition, and under-employment are widespread among migrant health care professionals, impacting both the individual worker and society, as a shortage in workers is already putting pressure on the current health care system of the Netherlands. As a response, the municipality of The Hague initiated a pilot with a holistic and interpersonal approach to enhance the long-term employability of migrant health care professionals. An active network of migrant health care professionals with a large diversity in backgrounds was established (e.g., age, nationality, level of education, legal status), as well as a network of employers in the health care sector. The municipality organizes participative sessions for employers who are seeking solutions for their understaffed facilities, as well as informal activities for the healthcare workers, such as language cafés. Even as candidates await the results of the formal recognition of their professional qualifications, recognition at an employment level now takes place in a context-sensitive, interpersonal setting where employers and candidates engage in finding solutions to overcome barriers to sector-specific employment. The ENIC-NARIC of the Netherlands participates in the pilot, experimenting with a novel methodology for its credential evaluations. Candidates of the pilot are offered the opportunity to participate in a process to validate their previous informal learning experiences, with a focus on transferable skills (This trajectory is coordinated by a specialized organization for the Validation of Previous Learning). In addition, candidates receive an extensive credential evaluation of the ENIC-NARIC in an experimental format. This document contains a detailed description of the formal and non-formal learning that took place, with a focus on the acquired learning outcomes. When possible, the learning outcomes are connected to skills from the ESCO classification system. In this way, the focus is meant to shift away from a singular comparative statement towards a more descriptive format. This approach is meant to create a more substantive understanding of the learning that took place and guide potential conversations about the skills and competencies that were obtained by the learner. In this sense, the methodology allows for space to re-personalize the act of recognition within the highly formalized context of health care. This presentation will discuss the first outcomes and effects of the pilot, identify challenges, and lessons learned. Keywords: health care, VPL, highly formalized recognition
AI and Open Badges: Discover and Share How AI Can Enhance Your Recognition Projects
Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a practical companion for the design and implementation of recognition systems. In the field of Open Badges and Open Recognition, AI tools can support practitioners not by replacing human judgment, but by assisting with the many decisions involved in creating meaningful recognition practices. This contribution introduces three specialized GPT-based assistants designed to accompany different stages of recognition initiatives: OB Designer, Le Coach Badges (MEL), and Open Badges & Open Recognition. The OB Designer GPT (https://bit.ly/ob-designer-gpt) supports the design of badge systems and recognition artifacts. It helps practitioners define the purpose of a badge, formulate criteria and evidence, structure metadata aligned with Open Badges standards, and ensure coherence across badge constellations and recognition pathways. Le Coach Badges (MEL) (https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68a33cdd58d8819187e392fad3a0c299-le-coach-badges-mel) focuses on implementation. It guides organizations and project teams through the process of introducing badges, identifying recognition opportunities, engaging stakeholders, structuring pilot phases, and evaluating the impact of recognition initiatives. The Open Badges & Open Recognition GPT (https://chatgpt.com/g/g-674ae375b5e48191b035f9f1b0e9ea0f-open-badges-open-recognition) provides conceptual and strategic support. It helps users explore the principles of open recognition, peer recognition, and community-based validation, and reflects on how recognition practices can move beyond credential issuance toward richer recognition ecosystems. Together, these AI assistants illustrate how generative AI can augment recognition projects by supporting practitioners across three complementary layers: conceptual understanding, program implementation, and artifact design. Rather than prescribing a single model, the tools encourage reflective practice and context-sensitive design, helping communities and organizations experiment with recognition approaches that are meaningful, participatory, and adaptable. Keywords: AI, reflexivity, generative, technologies
Micro-credentials and Indigenous Knowledge Systems: Creating and Delivering Flexible, Stackable, Accessible, Culturally Appropriate Education Pathways for Indigenous Learners
In 2019, the Australian Federal government commissioned a review of how universities, industry, and government can increase industry engagement in teaching and learning. The report from Bean and Dawkins provided seven recommendations, including raising the profile, accessibility, and funding support for micro-credentials. Significant investment in this ecosystem has subsequently occurred. The session described how, within the Australian context, micro-credentials are carving out a foothold in educational frameworks, methodologies, student experience, equity, and accessibility practicums. However, the lived experience of Indigenous cohorts, as illustrated by the Close the Gap report, is not keeping pace with contemporary Australia. This divergence is preventing entire generations of families and children from accessing the benefits of education Australia's Indigenous and First Nations peoples are widely accepted as the world's oldest, living continuous culture. In understanding this culture, there is a strong correlation between Indigenous learning methods sustained over millennia and contemporary definitions of micro-credentials. The more recent Australian Higher Education Accord, strongly signals support for Indigenous education, addressing both the need for accessibility and diversity in the education system. This creates an imperative to bring valuable Indigenous Knowledge systems, and their invaluable contributions to diverse fields (such as environmental sustainability, health, and community resilience) into the Westernized education system. In this presentation, the authors focused on how First Nation Rangers, often referred to in Australia as Aboriginal or Indigenous Rangers, play a pivotal role in managing Australia's growing land estate, particularly in areas recognized as Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs). These rangers combine Traditional Knowledge with modern science and land management techniques, resulting in a holistic approach to caring for the environment. The First Nation Ranger Program, supported by all levels of Australian Government and, in specific circumstances, the Private Sector, assists First Nations people and communities in managing land, sea, and water Country according to the objectives set by Traditional Owners. This program acknowledges the unique and critical role that First Nations peoples play in protecting Australia's natural and cultural heritage. The program's expansion aims to increase the number of rangers, particularly women, and extend its reach to regions without existing ranger groups. This presentation focused on the First Nations Ranger Program, which uses a micro-credential approach led by Indigenous leaders and developed in consultation with First Nations communities. It protects Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) while delivering personalized, cohort-based learning aligned with cultural protocols. This initiative is now several years into its design and development, working through the opportunities and challenges in: Delivering digital credentials at scale. Inclusive recognition process that values Indigenous ways of knowing and delivers a personal human experience with sustainment at scale. Enacting a Two-Way curriculum framework, through a Both-Ways pedagogy with a 'flexible' curriculum structure, and learning journey where geographical terrestrial ecological zones, and cultural protocols are adhered to. Bending technology solutions to deliver personalized cohort-based experiences, which also systematically protect ICIP (Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property); Learning from AI designing deployment strategies, implementing tooling, and assessing risk. Bringing recognition of Indigenous Knowledge holders into a system of recognition. Reflecting on ways of working, hiring, building diverse teams operating within cultural protocols. The presentation was also designed to build on the ePIC 2024 presentation. More importantly, though, it was designed to impart knowledge—the why, the what, and the how so that others might learn, creating momentum in their circles of influence and control in designing education pathways for Indigenous Peoples. Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, micro credentials, recognition systems, Indigenous cultural and intellectual property
Assinger, Philipp, Austria Carr, Deb, Australia D’Adamo-Weinstein, Lisa, United States Dolleman, Rusty, United States Hatch, Meredith, United States Kang, Dae Joong, South Korea Klein-Collins, Becky, United States Larusdottir, Fjola Maria, Iceland Nitardy, Charlotte, United States Rambharose, Rekha, South Africa Wanjiru, Catherine, Kenya Widger, Laura, Ireland
ePIC Conference Website: https://epic.openrecognition.org Open Recognition Alliance: https://openrecognition.org Documents supporting open recognition: The Bologna Declaration on Open Recognition in 2016, a cheeky echo of the Bologna Accord, which gave rise to the Open Recognition Charter, adopted by the government of Normandy The Paris Declaration on the Equality of Recognitions in 2024 The Open Recognition Manifesto in 2025, covered in this issue of PLAIO