Micro-Credential Development: Tools, Methods and Concepts Supporting the European Approach

Recently, the European Commission has presented their roadmap for the introduction of micro-credentials (MCs) in the European higher education sector. This approach is accompanied by an assortment of tools, methods and concepts (instruments) that are supposed to support the uptake of MCs. We analyzed whether instruments that are mentioned in concert with the European approach sufficiently support MC development through a scoping review of related publications and reports. We find that there are still visible gaps related to the implementation of feedback cycles specific to MCs. Through two illustrative cases, we also show that phases in the MC development process which show sufficient support on the face level may still need additional support. We close this article by suggesting that a digital solution such as a central platform for MCs in Europe could serve to resolve some of the identified issues.