Enhancing Professional Development for Higher Education Staff through Micro-Credentials
The Project in a Nutshell
MicroHEI is an Erasmus+ KA2 Cooperation Partnerships project which aims to develop a common European framework for micro-credentials dedicated to higher education staff. By combining shared standards, pilot courses and a quality label, the project makes staff learning visible, transferable and recognised across institutions and countries.
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MicroHEI's mission is to strengthen professional development and recognition for academic and administrative staff in higher education across Europe. While universities increasingly rely on staff expertise to drive digital transformation, sustainability and inclusion, there is currently no shared European system to formally recognise the continuous updating of their skills.
The project's ambition is to contribute to more connected and cohesive higher education systems by creating a Standardised, transparent and transferable approach to micro-credentials for staff. Through collaboration between partners from different EU countries, MicroHEI aims to align recognition practices and build trust in micro-credentials as tools for lifelong learning and career development.
To achieve this, the project will:
- develop a common competence framework and quality guidelines;
- Design and deliver short online courses in key priority areas;
- award and Test the first micro-credentials specifically tailored to higher education staff;
- Introduce a European label to support recognition and credibility;
- establish online observatory to monitor trends and support future policy dialogue.
By combining innovation in learning design with system-level tools for recognition and monitoring, MicroHEI contributes to more flexible, inclusive and future-oriented professional development in the European Higher Education Area.
PILLARS
Standardising micro-credentials for higher education staff
Creating common principles and competence standards for the implementation of micro-credentials across Europe.
Strengthening cross-border recognition
Developing tools that support the credibility, comparability and future scalability of micro-credentials in higher education.
Promoting lifelong learning
Offering short online courses that respond to real institutional needs and European priorities.
Timeline
February 2026
Project commences
April 2026
Multilingual guidelines
November 2026
MicroHEI framework
May 2027
MicroHEI label release
June 2027
Flight training courses
November 2028
Guidelines of Higher Education Institutions' best practices on micro-credentials
December 2028
International online event
Outputs
European Guidelines for Micro-Credentials
A practical, multilingual document supporting the harmonised development and recognition of micro-credentials in higher education.
More information to follow.
Common Competence Framework
A shared structure defining learning outcomes and standards for micro-credentials for higher education staff across partner institutions.
More information to follow.
Pilot Micro-Credentials and Online Courses
12 certified courses delivered and tested within the consortium, leading to the first awarded micro-credentials for higher education staff.
More information to follow.
MicroHEI Label and Online Observatory
A quality label that enhances credibility and transferability, supplemented by a public observatory that tracks trends and supports future policy and institutional dialogue.
More information to follow.
Partners
Associated partners
