Research undertaken by QAA Scotland to support this project, including a practitioner survey undertaken in winter 2021, has shown that a wide range of micro-credentials and small qualifications are available in Scotland. Still, it is difficult for potential learners (and employers) to navigate the various providers’ websites to find out what is available, including details about the size, level, and portability of awards and the need for consistency in the language used.
The Network has produced a glossary of a shared language for the tertiary sector to help address the language issue and to aid the understanding of micro-credentials among key stakeholders (including students, employers and PSRBs).
We have provided a snapshot of the micro-credentials and small qualifications from results of a sector-wide survey that we carried out with colleges, HEIs and other credit-rating bodies in spring 2023.
The Network is delighted to have completed the Good Practice Guide for Micro-credentials and Small Qualifications in Scotland, which you can access below. The Guide sets out principles and practices agreed upon by various stakeholders throughout the Network. It provides a starting point for designing and developing micro-credentials to ensure they are well-designed and fit for purpose. This innovative Guide uses inclusive language for the tertiary sector. It is aimed at colleges, HEIs and other credit-rating bodies in Scotland to help learners pursue micro-credentials, by providing a level of assurance that all awards meet baseline principles and adhere to good practices.
To further enhance the awareness and understanding of the range of micro-credential practices in Scotland, we are publishing a range of case studies on this page.
The Enhancement Theme project builds on previous collaborative cluster work, collaborative models of practice in Scottish colleges and the UK-wide QAA Characteristics Statement for Micro-credentials.
