When the labour market outpaces education

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work faster than the education system can keep up. Degrees are increasingly failing to keep pace with the market, and competences are becoming outdated at a rate that was unimaginable until recently. That is why this podcast asks how to learn mindfully, responding to employers’ needs without compromising one’s own values. These conversations explore skills, education, and work as a continuous learning process, where microcredentials – flexible ways of validating specific skills that better fit the pace of market changes – play an ever-greater role.

Different perspectives, one common conclusion

Experts who view education and development from various perspectives – technological, psychological, philosophical, market-based, and systemic – have been invited to share their insights. The podcast guests include: Tomasz Stawiszyński, Dr hab. Aleksandra Przegalińska, Artur Kurasiński, Joanna Malinowska-Parzydło, Dr Maciej Kawecki, Grzegorz Mazurek, Dr Ewa Woydyłło, Jowita Michalska, Dr Zofia Smełka-Leszczyńska, Anna Streżyńska, Marcin Szala and Michał Nowakowski.

Their contributions form a coherent narrative about a world where formal education is no longer enough. Instead, specific, proven skills and a readiness to constantly update them are becoming paramount. In the labour market, what we can actually do is more important than a university degree, and recruiters are increasingly putting this to the test. This aspect also recurs in discussions about technology and AI. Experts encourage us to delegate certain tasks to AI tools while consciously investing time in developing the skills that technology cannot replicate – those that build our competitive advantage today. These include critical thinking, assessing information quality, and the ability to connect knowledge from different fields.

Microcredentials as the ‘currency’ of skills

In this context, the role of microcredentials emerges ever more clearly as a way of organising conscious lifelong learning. They do not replace formal education but complement it, allowing individuals to build competences in stages, at a pace that fits their professional lives.

“Microcredentials are the ‘currency’ of skills – they validate not only the result but also the journey, the quality, and the purpose of the acquired competence,” says Michał Nowakowski, project leader at the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute for “Microcredentials – Piloting a New Solution To Support Lifelong Learning.”

It is this flexibility that makes microcredentials an increasingly effective response to the dynamics of the labour market, while allowing people to manage their own long-term development rather than simply reacting to the next crisis or change.

Conversations that resonate

The podcast series “Skills Come First. The Podcast About How to Stay Current” is hosted by Łukasz Grass, a television and radio journalist. Episodes will be released weekly on the IBE YouTube channel and Spotify.

The podcasts were conducted as part of the project “Microcredentials – Piloting a New Solution To Support Lifelong Learning,” funded by the European Funds for Social Development (FERS) programme. #EUFunds

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Campus Mikropoświadczeń is the initiative of the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute that aims to create a platform for open discussion regarding the implementation of microcredentials. The first meeting was held online, the second lasted two days and took place in Warsaw on 22 and 23rd of April 2026. Both events gathered representatives from 32 Polish universities.

“This is an opportunity for university representatives to tell us what they need to implement microcredentials effectively, so that we can meet those requirements as we develop the national system,” stated Michał Nowakowski, microcredential project leader at IBE PIB. 

Microcredentials in Poland – a systemic approach

During the Campus Mikropoświadczeń, the participants could listen to IBE PIB experts who explained the differences between various forms of digital credentials, technological aspects of creating a national system of microcredentials, implementation of their quality and recognition. Grzegorz Tylek, Product Owner of Odznaka+ application, explained the complex issue of identity verification: 

“Verifying the identity of microcredential recipients is a challenge we have tackled since the very beginning of testing digital credentials. We are following the global trend of developing digital documents based on the Verifiable Credentials profile. At the same time, we are leveraging national solutions, such as mObywatel, for user account verification. We are currently working on enabling Odznaka+ to be accessed via other applications (API), as well as ensuring that Odznaka+ can act as a digital ‘backpack’ for credentials issued by other platforms,” he emphasised.

Developing solutions that ensure user-friendly access while maintaining high security and allowing microcredentials to be used across multiple scenarios is one of the primary goals for the experts building the IBE PIB system.

“We have adopted a systemic approach in our project. Therefore we are not only speaking about Odznaka+ app, but also about a national microcredentials system – an infrastructure that makes it possible to issue and use them across Poland,” marked Dr Wojciech Stęchły, IBE-PIB expert.

And not only across Poland. The portability of microcredentials issued via the Odznaka+ app is another key area of focus for the system’s developers. Its significance was underlined by Dr Daniel Wiliusz, the Rector’s Representative for Microcredentials at Poznan University of Economics and Business: 

🗣️ “The system must also be designed with short-term users in mind, such as international students. This is why the portability of microcredentials issued via Odznaka+ is so vital; they must be available in various formats to ensure they can be stored and used within other digital wallets and systems later on.”

Polish universities need microcredentials

Workshops remained an important part of the event. University representatives, divided into five groups, discussed various aspects regarding the implementation of microcredentials and proposed possible solutions. The discussion addressed both the opportunities and risks associated with the use of microcredentials in higher education. Participants also considered the importance of defining the workload required to award a credential. Further debate focused on building recognition of digital credentials within universities and across the country, alongside the technical aspects of the system’s architecture and the critical issues of quality and credibility.

During the discussion on the scope of various digital credentials, several participants noted the urgent need for shared terminology and precise definitions of key concepts in this field. 

“I suggest we agree on a common nomenclature: specifically, that the term ‘microcredentials’ be used exclusively in the context of higher education, to distinguish them from other digital credentials issued outside the academic sphere,” argued Arkadiusz Sadura from the Medical University of Warsaw. 

Regardless of the difficulties posed by ambiguous nomenclature, there was a clear consensus within the academic community that microcredentials are essential to higher education.

“Microcredentials provide many opportunities for the sector of higher education. As an academic community, we face the challenge of determining what is worth awarding microcredentials for and what is not. We need ongoing dialogue, a sharing of experiences, and a clear set of rules to help us define these requirements,” emphasised Dr Anna Witek-Crabb, the Rector’s Representative for Microcredentials at Wroclaw University of Economics and Business. 

Despite representing a broad range of viewpoints, university representatives successfully developed numerous solutions and reached a consensus on the most critical issues currently being addressed by IBE PIB experts.

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A lively debate on microcredentials

On 18 March 2026, another meeting of the Microcredentials Advisory Group took place in Warsaw. The experts discussed how to build a national system that is consistent with global technological standards. Moreover, the debate focused on possible ways to guarantee an unquestionable quality, credibility, and user attractiveness. 

“It was one of the most dynamic discussions in the history of the Microcredentials Advisory Group meetings. The best ideas emerge under such circumstances,” summarised the meeting Michał Nowakowski, leader of ‘Microcredentials – A Pilot Project for Supporting Lifelong Learning’. 

Microcredentials – technology and usability

The participants of the meeting attended the presentation delivered by Grzegorz Tylek, Product Owner of the Odznaka+ app. The expert explained the importance of creating an appropriate technological environment for building a microcredentials system, so that their full potential can be realised.

“The digital nature of microcredentials presents us with many strategic challenges: the type of medium, identity verification, interoperability, compliance with existing data exchange standards, and their security. But that’s not all. Microcredentials simply need to be appealing and useful. That’s why user-centred, rather than institution-centred, design, excellent UX (User Experience), and the functionality of the Odznaka+ app are so important,” he said, and added: 

“Our goal is to focus on technology and the usefulness of the Polish free platform for managing microcredentials.”

The Advisory Group participants also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the system being developed at IBE PIB aligns with European solutions.

“Microcredentials are to be described in a clear way, so they can be issued and checked on the national level, also with the use of a personal ID number (PESEL) number. The same model will be aligned with emerging European solutions from the outset, meaning no subsequent changes will be required. As a result, microcredentials will be transparent and usable not only in Poland but across the entire European system, including Europass and European Digital Credentials,” emphasised Michał Nowakowski, leader of the microcredential project at IBE PIB. 

Microcredentials will change the non-formal education 

Marcin Kowalski, board chairman of Human Partner, shared his insights from the implementation of microcredentials in a training company: 

“The microcredential system will have a profound impact on the development of the non-formal education sector in Poland. Through concise, precise validation of skills, participants in courses, workshops, or training programmes can prove what they have learnt – without the need to complete long, costly qualifications. This strengthens the credibility of private educational providers and facilitates collaboration with employers, who gain a tool for the rapid verification of competences.” 

According to Human Partner CEO, microcredentials will make the non-formal sector more competitive and innovative, ensuring that training providers’ offerings are better aligned with the needs of a fast-changing labour market. 

Group members also heard a presentation from Dr Wojciech Stęchły, who outlined updates to the National Microcredential System Standards project currently being developed at IBE PIB. Participants were in full agreement that quality assurance and building trust in microcredentials remain the most critical priorities in Poland.

“What we consider crucial now is building an understanding of the importance of microcredentials not only among providers but also among recipients – both employees and employers. From an employer’s perspective, the most important aspects are quality, comparability, and trust. Microcredentials must clearly demonstrate the specific skills an employee possesses and the tasks for which they are best prepared,” commented Małgorzata Lelińska, Director of Department of EU Funds and Digital Education at the Lewiatan Confederation.

“I am certain that microcredentials are the right answer to the changing needs of the labour market, because the forms of learning they relate to allow skills to be quickly updated without lengthy and costly training processes. Businesses also expect a strong link between microcredentials and practical experience – ideally when employers are co-creators of programmes and assessment criteria. In Poland, we need a system that is not over-regulated by law, and that is useful, widely accessible, and easy to use for both companies and employees,” she added. 

Microcredentials and the future scenarios 

In the second part of the meeting, the participants of the Microcredentials Advisory Group took part in workshops that aimed to facilitate possible scenarios of this particular form of validating competences in Poland. Stakeholders from various backgrounds view microcredentials as a significant opportunity and a solution to the challenges ahead. This is certainly the case within the academic community.

“One of the primary challenges currently facing universities is the demographic downturn. Microcredentials can help institutions mitigate the effects of declining student numbers by enabling them to reach a broader audience. Furthermore, these short educational formats align with learners’ needs and represent a desirable alternative to traditional undergraduate and postgraduate degrees,” emphasised Marek Michajłowicz, Deputy Director of the National Information Processing Institute (OPI PIB).

As he noticed, microcredentials will become increasingly valid, especially given the forthcoming changes in European regulatory frameworks for digital credentialing.

“It is also worth noting that with the imminent implementation of the eIDAS2 Regulation, interoperability and the capacity for cross-border information exchange are becoming increasingly vital. Therefore, we believe the microcredential solutions should account for both the needs of universities and the future regulatory requirements that will shape the entire educational ecosystem,” stated Marek Michajłowicz.

Group members also discussed how to ensure that, following the conclusion of the IBE PIB pilot project, the microcredential system continues to develop as a tool supporting lifelong learning across a range of contexts, including vocational training, formal education, and non-formal learning. 

The meeting was attended by: 

Karina Galstyan, The Ministry of Digital Affairs

Prof Andrzej Kraśniewski, The Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland

Marcin Kowalski, Board Chairman of Human Partner

Szymon Kurek, PARP

Małgorzata Lelińska, Lewiatan Confederation

Marek Michajłowicz, The National Information Processing Institute (OPI PIB)

Agnieszka Mokrogulska, The Ministry of National Education

Dr Daniel Paczesny, Warsaw University of Technology

Paulina Noińska-Rozentalska, Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy

Bartosz Siemiątkowski, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy

Aleksandra Wąsik, All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions / Polish Teachers’ Union

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Although both forms of skills validation are often mentioned together and their names are sometimes used interchangeably, microcredentials and digital badges are not synonymous. They differ in scope, level of formalisation and the role they play in education and professional development systems. Understanding these differences makes it possible to use the potential of both solutions effectively, from the perspective of individuals building their careers, as well as educational institutions and employers.

Badges – from gaming to digital education

Digital badges are now associated primarily with non-formal education, although they originally emerged from the world of gaming, where they appeared as elements of online gaming platforms. The idea of using them in education was developed by the creators of the Open Badges system at the Mozilla Foundation, inspired by the scouting movement known in the United States and Europe, where badges served as clear proof of specific skills, abilities and achievements of young participants.

In 2012, experts from the Mozilla Foundation described digital badges as a solution supporting skills development and the idea of lifelong learning and professional upskilling. The development of the Open Badges standard was a response to the need for a system capable of recognising and validating non-formal and non-traditional learning experiences, enabling learners to present their skills and achievements in various contexts, such as recruitment processes.

In this sense, badges are primarily characterised by the fact that they:

• are always digital,
• always take a graphical form or include a graphic element,
• can be awarded for various types of achievements, not only educational ones, including:
  • competence (demonstrating knowledge, skills and social competences),
  • potential (indicators of future achievements),
  • participation (e.g. for attending an event),
  • membership (confirming affiliation, e.g. to a club),
  • engagement (attitudes, values, beliefs),
  • motivation (e.g. for good performance).

In practice, a digital badge is a graphic file encoded in a specific standard – currently the most popular being the Open Badges 2.0 standard – containing structured information describing a person’s specific competences or outcomes. It can be used for various purposes, for example to confirm participation in a conference, completion of a social project, or to include information about a set of verified learning outcomes held by an individual. The latter brings us closer to microcredentials.

Microcredentials – the weight of quality

Microcredentials, like digital badges, confirm the possession of specific skills. Both forms of credentials provide information about:

• to whom they were issued,
• by whom,
• when,
• for what,
• and what were the issuing criteria (a mandatory requirement for badges and microcredentials issued in the Open Badges standard).

Microcredentials, however, are not the same as digital badges. This is primarily because:

• a microcredential confirms an educational achievement (whereas a badge may relate to various achievements, not only educational ones),
• microcredentials are most often issued in digital form (badges are only digital),
• a microcredential confirms and describes verified learning outcomes,
• a microcredential should be subject to quality assurance,
• microcredentials aim for systemic comparability, recognition and transferability (which is why they usually contain more specific information, such as workload, links to qualification frameworks or skills taxonomies, or they use standardised description models such as the European Learning Model).

Microcredentials and digital badges – clarifying the concepts

Why are the concepts of digital badges and microcredentials so often confused? One of the main reasons is the lack of a single definition that clearly defines what microcredentials are in practice. Different approaches exist worldwide, and individual countries are still refining the scope, meaning and application of this concept.

In Poland, the term ‘microcredentials’ is also only just gaining wider recognition. Its development and wider adoption are supported through initiatives led by the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute (IBE PIB).

As part of a pilot microcredentials project implemented at IBE PIB, a definition was developed based primarily on the EU Council Recommendation on a European approach to microcredentials for lifelong learning and employability. According to this definition, microcredentials:

• are records of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning in a specific area,
• confirm learning outcomes assessed against transparent and clearly defined criteria by a provider applying quality assurance arrangements,
• are the property of the learner,
• may stand alone or be combined (stacked) into larger credentials,
• may be accumulated and shared, for example in digital form,
• respond to evolving forms of learning and labour market needs,
• confirm skills acquired not only through formal education, but also through non-formal and informal learning, including courses and training,
• are issued by a wide range of providers, including schools, higher education institutions, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations, and sports associations and clubs, based on transparent criteria and quality assurance.

Sources:

1. “Open Badges for Lifelong Learning. Exploring an open badge ecosystem to support skill development and lifelong learning for real results such as jobs and advancement,” The Mozilla Foundation and Peer 2 Peer University, in collaboration with The MacArthur Foundation
2. Microcredentials, Polish Wikipedia entry: https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikropo%C5%9Bwiadczenia
3. Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability 2022/C 243/02: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/PL/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022H0627%2802%29

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Critical thinking should be learned

There are many definitions of critical thinking. In ‘Cognitive Psychology’, Prof. Edward Nęcka defines it as ‘a form of realistic thinking oriented towards a specific goal, namely evaluation.’

According to Nęcka, the purpose of critical thinking is ‘a reliable and realistic assessment of key aspects of human intellectual activity’. Simply put, critical thinking means looking beyond appearances and seeking to understand how things truly are. We analyse, ask questions and verify sources in order to get to the heart of the matter and/or choose the best possible solution.

Critical thinking is recognised as a competence, which means it can be learned. In the European Commission’s assessment, critical thinking will be one of the key skills of the future.

Critical thinking – many skills in one

Critical thinking brings together a set of skills that make it possible to break down even the most complex problems, while fostering an attitude of healthy scepticism. These skills include:

• data analysis,
• synthesising conclusions,
• assessing the credibility of information,
• evaluating and verifying sources,
• asking the right questions,
• openness to learning and revising one’s views.

In practice, critical thinking begins with questioning the information we receive. To turn this into a habit, we need to put ourselves in the role of the sceptic as often as possible. This is not easy, as the human brain does not like excessive effort. As Prof. Tomasz Grzyb from SWPS University points out in his article ‘Critical Thinking – How to Learn It’, ‘thinking hurts’: it demands far more energy than so-called automatic thinking, which leans on ready-made, ‘obvious’ answers. According to Grzyb, for this reason, critical thinking should be taught from an early age, both at home and at school.

Critical thinking is worth practising throughout life

Critical thinking can be broadly divided into several stages:

1. Gathering or receiving information.
2. Identifying the key points.
3. Analysing and interpreting the data presented.
4. Assessing the credibility of the sources used.
5. Summarising the most important findings.
6. Formulating logical conclusions.
7. Making a decision and choosing a solution.

Constant vigilance is essential – we should remain cautious not only towards others’ beliefs, but also towards our own biases.

Critical thinking enables making decisions based on a thorough analysis of all available data and an assessment of the potential consequences of each option. For such a process to take place automatically whenever we encounter new information, regular practice is required. Helpful methods include:

• mindful reading and watching of articles, posts, and videos on social media (when engaging with online content, it’s important to keep a critical distance and constantly ask questions like: where does this information come from? Is the source impartial? Do other sources provide the same data?),
• engaging in discussions – critical thinking develops best through conversation. Discussions expose us to different perspectives, allow us to challenge and revise our beliefs, and help us learn to argue, separating facts from emotions,
• solving logic puzzles (practising logical reasoning is fundamental to critical thinking),
• reading literature – seeing the world from another person’s perspective is a valuable way to learn not to accept appearances without checking what lies beneath,
• asking questions – the ability to ask the right questions is central to critical thinking, which is why it is so important to practise it, for example by writing question lists or setting personal challenges (e.g. ‘If I were a journalist and could ask this politician three questions, they would be…’).

Critical thinking – validated through microcredentials

Why is learning critical thinking so important? In a world flooded with information, much of it false or from questionable sources, critical thinking helps us cut through the noise and avoid taking everything at face value. It allows us to analyse and interpret an ever-changing, complex reality and to respond to its challenges. It protects against manipulation and enables mindful participation in social life.

One of the greatest benefits of critical thinking is the ability to make decisions based on in-depth analysis and logical reasoning, free from prejudice and with reduced emotional bias. This competence can be used at key moments in life (such as choosing a career path, a school, or changing professions), as well as in professional work.

Applying critical thinking leads to:

• avoiding impulsive, emotion-driven decisions,
• accurate analysis of even highly complex situations,
• effective problem-solving,
• resistance to manipulation,
• intellectual development,
• improved communication with others,
• building a reputation as a rational, level-headed person who distinguishes facts from opinions.

Many leaders are keen to work with people who possess these qualities. Today, many employers seek candidates who can think critically; although it is not easy to demonstrate, as traditional CVs offer little space to showcase such skills. Yet, according to forecasts by organisations such as the World Economic Forum, skills related to critical thinking are to become a key factor in determining success in the job market.

However, there is a way to recognise skills that aren’t reflected on school or university diplomas: microcredentials. These are agile and efficient forms of recognising specific skills. It’s only a matter of time before they are widely adopted in Poland to certify, among other things, soft skills, especially since both job seekers and employers require them. 

All the more so, given that in other countries, like Australia, and on international platforms such as Coursera, critical thinking courses are already successfully running, awarding microcredentials upon completion.

Sources:

1. E. Nęcka, J. Orzechowski, B. Szymura, Sz. Wichary, Cognitive Psychology (Psychologia poznawcza), New Edition, Warsaw, 2020.
2. T. Grzyb, Critical Thinking – How to Learn It (Myślenie krytyczne – jak się go nauczyć), https://strefawiedzy.swps.pl/artykuly/myslenie-krytyczne-jak-sie-go-nauczyc
3. Aleksandra Kubala-Kulpińska, The Skill of Critical Thinking (Umiejętność krytycznego myślenia), https://www.glospedagogiczny.pl/artykul/umiejetnosc-krytycznego-myslenia
4. Future of Jobs Report, World Economic Forum, 2025, https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf
5. https://microcredentials.pl/en/soft-skills-are-the-future-but-how-to-validate-them/

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What grades really tell us

‘The traditional grading model is ineffective because grades in themselves have no real meaning,’ says Marcin Szala*, co-founder of Liceum Artes Liberales, an innovative private school focused on experiential learning. The school is known for its original subjects, educational expeditions, and for allowing students to choose extended subjects in line with their interests and talents.

This is not the only critical voice regarding grading systems. In her article ‘What is the problem with assessment?’ Sylwia Żmijewska-Kwiręg argues that two main approaches to assessment can be identified in the discourse. On the one hand, assessment is intended to provide learners with essential feedback on their progress to support further development. On the other, it continues to function as a mechanism for monitoring knowledge levels and for rewarding or penalising learners in an effort to influence motivation.

This raises significant doubts about the effectiveness of the existing grading system, since a six-point grading scale does not provide sufficiently precise information about an individual student.

‘A numerical grading scale is imprecise. What does it actually mean when something is graded as a four?’ asks Marcin Szala.

In theory, teachers should award grades based on clearly defined criteria. In some subjects or for specific tasks, percentage thresholds make this easier. More often, however, it is not possible to define precisely what qualifies for a particular grade. How, for example, can learning outcomes such as the acquisition of soft skills or the development of creativity be described? These are among the future skills increasingly required by employers worldwide.

Grades do not matter

Grades, divided into ‘good’ and ‘bad’, function as tools of reward and punishment, which in theory are intended to motivate students to work.

‘The authority of schools is diminishing, and with it the influence of school-related attributes. The carrot-and-stick approach in the form of good and bad grades no longer works,’ emphasises Marcin Szala.

Students are increasingly aware that obtaining a higher or lower grade has minimal impact on their lives, and that parents are unlikely to impose serious consequences. This is particularly pertinent given long-standing psychological evidence that upbringing based on ‘punishment’ and ‘reward’ does not support healthy child development.

How to encourage students’ continuous development

If grades neither provide sufficient information about what students can actually do nor motivate them to learn, teachers and school officials are faced with the need to supplement existing systems with other ways of communicating progress and encouraging development.

‘One solution is to increase the weight of assessment by linking it to external factors that motivate students,’ argues Marcin Szala.

The key is to ensure that students feel responsible for their own development and have a real influence over how it takes place. At Liceum Artes Liberales, an original assessment system has been introduced. Naturally, the nationally imposed grading scale has not been abandoned; final grades are awarded at the end of the year, and during the term, students also receive percentage results or pass/fail information. However, these elements form only part of the system.

‘The most important component consists of individual student reports. These are detailed, reliable descriptions of what a student has learned during a given period, their attitude, and the knowledge they have acquired. Each report includes in-depth commentary, providing concrete feedback for both students and parents on what has been achieved and what still requires improvement. As a result – and this is crucial – every individual feels noticed,’ explains Marcin Szala.

Microcredentials as part of a motivational system

Another important element has been introduced into the Artes Liberales assessment model: microcredentials and digital badges issued via the Odznaka+ application developed by the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute. Several times a year, students participate in engaging projects that culminate in the awarding of a microcredential. How does this differ from an ordinary grade entered into a register?

‘The key difference lies in communication. Microcredentials and digital badges must be clearly described, with precise criteria for earning them. One of their major advantages is that they can be showcased – for example, shared on social media. As a result, a student’s success extends beyond the school walls, and the school itself becomes a certifying body. Microcredentials have another benefit: they activate a very human factor – collecting. Building a collection of credentials can be highly satisfying,’ explains Marcin Szala.

* Marcin Szala – educational innovator, co-founder of Liceum Artes Liberales in Warsaw, a modern school based on the belief that academic success stems from personal development, and that effective learning can be interdisciplinary and rooted in real-world experience. Expert, author of articles on education, panellist and conference speaker. Formerly programme director at Collegium Wratislaviense, an institution training lecturers and teachers; deputy head and co-creator of the prestigious international Akademeia High School in Warsaw. He teaches and designs curricula in critical thinking and has experience teaching within the Polish Matura Exam, IB and A-level systems. A graduate of the University of Oxford in Physics and Philosophy, scholarship holder of the United World Schools Society. Participant in the Leadership Academy for Poland programme, member of TrendHouse, and fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar.

Sources:

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Valuable insights from pilot participants

The meeting brought together members of the Microcredentials Advisory Group, guests and experts from the IBE-PIB for an online session, during which Martyna Leciejewicz, a lead project expert, presented the latest progress in the pilot.

A year on from her previous presentation, two additional pathways have been added to the pilot: one for higher education institutions and one for marketing, complementing the existing ICT pathway.

‘We are pleased to launch a new pilot pathway for higher education, with 20 universities from across Poland set to participate. This step greatly broadens the reach of our activities and allows us to link flexible forms of learning with students’ real expectations and the labour market even more effectively. We continue to gather systematic feedback from participating organisations, enabling us to respond accurately to their needs. At the same time, we are enhancing the application technologically to make it more intuitive, scalable and ready for the next stages of implementation,’ said Martyna Leciejewicz.

The IBE-PIB expert pointed out that, to date, pilot participants have created 51 microcredentials, of which 2,600 were issued, and 441 claimed. 

Jerzy Furman, a microcredential expert at IBE-PIB, outlined how pilot participants developed their microcredential descriptions. He noted that the partnership-based approach, which encouraged honest and open communication, ensured smooth cooperation and led to solutions that best served all parties.

The role of issuers – case studies

Following this, representatives of two organisations participating in the pilot shared their experiences: Rafał Uhl and Anna Tykwińska from the Helena Chodkowska University of Technology and Economics in Warsaw described their cooperation with the IBE-PIB.

‘Microcredentials provide universities with an opportunity to broaden their offerings through short training programmes and to formally recognise specific skills acquired during studies, even before graduation. Cooperation with the IBE-PIB gives us the possibility to co-create an intuitive, cost-free solution that is trusted by its users,’ said Rafał Uhl.

Anna Kania, President of the Polish Institute of Competences of the Future (PIKP), briefed the Advisory Group about both the pilot’s progress and PIKP’s future plans for advancing microcredentials, including educational outreach and promotion, with a strong emphasis on highlighting their value in the labour market: 

‘Interest in microcredentials is growing, and we are glad to see them beginning to genuinely support employee and organisational development. The greatest challenge currently is the limited awareness of this tool in the market, which is why PIKP places strong emphasis on education and invites all stakeholders involved in microcredential development to collaborate. We believe that through joint activities, such as interviews, articles, or educational initiatives, we can build understanding and improve the quality of the entire system much more quickly,’ said Anna Kania from PIKP.

Quoting the PIKP representative, ‘microcredentials are the ideal tool.’ They provide fast and reliable validation of competences, are visible on the labour market, offer clear reference to qualification standards, and allow holders to build their own development pathways.

Through their collaboration, PIKP and IBE-PIB created the microcredential ‘AI in Creating Digital Content: Basics and Opportunities,’ which was awarded to 440 people. 33 percent of those entitled have already claimed their credential.

How to become an issuer in the microcredential system

In the concluding presentation, Dr Wojciech Stęchły, lead expert on the microcredential project at IBE-PIB, detailed the accreditation process for issuers within the emerging National Microcredential System. The expert emphasised that organisations issuing microcredentials must not only have solid reputations but also be thoroughly prepared in terms of expertise, technical capabilities, and staffing. Consequently, the issuer accreditation form is being developed with great care and is continuously improved.

Participants of the meeting included: 

Prof Andrzej Kraśniewski, The Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP)

Marek Michajłowicz, The National Information Processing Institute (OPI PIB)

Aleksandra Wąsik, All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions / Polish Teachers’ Union

Agnieszka Dec, Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy

Bogusław Dębski, Polish Information Processing Society (PTI), Sectoral Skills Council – IT

Barbara Worek, Sectoral Skills Council – Development Services

Agnieszka Majcher-Teleon, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy

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Microcredentials in higher education

The development of new technologies and the resulting changes in the labour market mean that traditional forms of education and recognition of knowledge are no longer enough. Employers tend to prioritise candidates’ specific and proven skills rather than the general information presented in graduation diplomas.

This is where the role of microcredentials in the academic world begins. Universities, as microcredential issuers, can offer the highest quality courses and other shorter forms of learning, which would conclude with the students earning credentials, also digital ones. According to the European Commission’s 2024 report ‘Micro-credentials in Higher Education,’ this is already happening on a large scale in Western countries. 

Polish universities must keep up with this educational trend, as it may soon become one of the factors determining whether they can attract and retain students and academic staff.

‘In Poland, there is a very rich environment of higher education institutions: public, private, large universities, smaller academies of applied sciences, specialised higher schools, and so on. This natural development of diversity, which we have observed for several decades now, introduces new forms of education, but also demands new credentials and formats,’ says Dr Wojciech Stęchły, expert on the design of digital solutions for skills development in the microcredentials project at the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute (IBE-PIB).

How can universities benefit from microcredentials?

According to the report ‘Are Polish universities ready for microcredentials?’ published in 2024 by the National Information Processing Institute (OPI PIB), the answer to the question posed in the title was, quite simply, not entirely. According to the report, the general level of knowledge about microcredentials varied, and some academics had never even encountered the term itself.

By the end of 2025, the situation looks somewhat different. For the past two years, the concept of microcredentials has been actively promoted by the IBE-PIB. The project, entirely dedicated to this form of skills documentation, was initially focused on the ICT sector.

Over time, the project has been expanded to include a new target group – the academic community. The group is the focus of the third phase of the pilot project, and other universities are now participating in the programme. In early July 2025, it was announced that Opole University of Technology had become the first university in Poland to issue a microcredential via the Odznaka+ application.

‘It wasn’t the first microcredential issued by a university in Poland, but it was the first to be awarded via the Odznaka+ application and within the framework of the Microcredentials Project at IBE. Thanks to this and subsequent experiences, we can collect and organise examples of microcredentials and, together with the academic community, develop recommendations for the standardisation of microcredentials in Poland,’ explains Dr Wojciech Stęchły.

Why is it so important for Polish universities to embrace new forms of certifying knowledge and skills, including microcredentials? We asked Jolanta Urbanikowa from the University of Warsaw, an expert in the internationalisation of education, to share her perspective.

‘Microcredentials are an opportunity for universities. Firstly, they can enable the rapid updating of teaching content and learning outcomes. Traditional study programmes tend to become overly conservative and misaligned with the needs of, for instance, the labour market. Revising, updating, and adapting these programmes in terms of both content and teaching approach to meet stakeholders’ expectations takes time due to procedural requirements. Short learning formats that result in the granting of a microcredential provide an opportunity to gain the competences that are in demand here and now,’ explains Jolanta Urbanikowa, and continues:

‘Secondly, microcredentials can become a means of enhancing the internationalisation of education at Polish universities, particularly if institutions offer courses leading to microcredentials in different languages, especially in English, and aimed at online learners – including international ones – with the involvement of foreign lecturers. Such initiatives could pave the way for launching entire study programmes in foreign languages, which in turn could attract more international students and doctoral candidates, as well as draw overseas academics to Polish universities. Moreover, these courses should be jointly developed by academic staff from different countries and cultural backgrounds, for example, within European university alliances, as this would greatly enrich the universities’ educational offerings and make them more appealing.’

Drop-outs – can microcredentials help prevent them?

According to the expert from the University of Warsaw, microcredentials may help Polish universities address another crucial challenge. As reported by ‘Polityka’, around 400,000 students are expected to begin their studies in the 2025/2026 academic year, yet one in three will drop out at some stage.

Many decide to do so because they find degree programmes too long and time-consuming, making it difficult to balance study with work. For some, obtaining a traditional diploma is no longer seen as an essential part of their professional development or career progression.

How does this affect universities? Significantly, as it affects them both financially and reputationally. For public universities, the number of students determines the amount of government funding they receive, while private institutions rely primarily on tuition fees. Therefore, a decline in interest in degree studies means lower revenues, as well as a weakening of a university’s standing and prestige.

Universities and higher education institutions are trying to counteract this phenomenon in various ways – for example, through anti-dropout programmes such as “The Anti-dropout Programme – Stay at UW!” and “Anti Drop-out ANS Gniezno”. University authorities are increasingly considering the introduction of microcredentials into the study programmes to address issues such as time constraints and the mismatch between academic programmes and labour market needs. 

‘As for the problem of drop-out itself, it has not yet been fully explored how microcredentials might help reduce it. However, intuitively, students who wish to withdraw before earning a full degree could remain at university and benefit from shorter learning pathways – effectively building their own ‘degree’ from smaller skill-based credentials. In this way, microcredentials can be accumulated towards larger certificates or full qualifications, and may eventually constitute a complete qualification in their own right. It’s an excellent option for learners who cannot, or do not wish to, devote two or three years solely to studying. Instead, they can collect smaller credentials while combining learning with their professional and personal lives in a way that best suits their needs,’ explains Jolanta Urbanikowa.

Sources: 

1. ‘Micro-credentials in Higher Education’, EC report
2. ‘Mikropoświadczenia – czym są i dlaczego warto je zdobywać’, https://bid.uw.edu.pl/mikroposwiadczenia-czym-sa-i-dlaczego-warto-je-zdobywac/
3. https://microcredentials.pl/mikroposwiadczenia-na-polskich-uczelniach-czy-jestesmy-na-to-gotowi/
4. https://microcredentials.pl/pierwsza-polska-uczelnia-z-mikroposwiadczeniami-w-aplikacji-odznaka/

‘Studenci chwilowi’, Polityka 1-10-2025.

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On 6 October 2025, the Advisory Group met in Warsaw for its seventh session, this time focusing on the legal aspects of implementing microcredentials in Poland.

Legal issues are often among the most complex, and microcredentials are no exception.

‘That’s why the discussion should start with the question of whether legal regulations are actually necessary in Poland,’ said Michał Nowakowski, project leader for microcredentials at the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute.

Odznaka+ app facing strategic decisions

The discussion on legal frameworks was preceded by a presentation from Grzegorz Tylek, product owner of the Odznaka+ application, who updated the members of the Advisory Group on the progress in the platform’s development.

Grzegorz Tylek also outlined plans for the next stages, both in the ongoing pilot and in the longer term. The future of Odznaka+ and the surrounding system will be heavily influenced by EU regulations, which Poland must comply with. Participants also discussed plans to integrate the application with a personal identification number (PESEL) and to ensure its compatibility with the European mObywatel / EDC wallet, based on the Verifiable Credentials standard.

Microcredentials – how to regulate without overregulating?

The debate on the implications of EU regulations for Poland’s digital credentialing system introduced the key focus of the session – the legal side of microcredentials.

During the meeting, Dr Sławomir Szymczak from the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute (IBE-PIB) analysed the examples of microcredential systems and associated legal frameworks in various nations.

‘Implementing microcredentials based on the 2022 EU Council Recommendation is a great starting point. However, it is worth examining the experiences of other countries – from the strongly regulated systems in New Zealand and Estonia to the very flexible microcredential market in the United States. As a result, it may turn out that intermediate solutions, such as Croatia’s Adult Education Act, Spain’s dual approach for higher education and vocational training, Australia’s National Microcredentials Framework, or similar non-binding guidelines adopted in some Canadian provinces, could offer the most valuable inspiration for developing Poland’s national microcredential system,’ said Dr Sławomir Szymczak, leading microcredentials expert at IBE-PIB.

An important contribution to the discussion came from Szymon Kurek of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP), who pointed out that rather than asking whether microcredential regulations are needed in Poland – as they will inevitably appear sooner or later – the real question is how they should be formulated to avoid the risk of over-regulation.

‘If the legal requirements are too detailed and leave little room for interpretation, it will be much harder to make changes and adapt to market needs,’ warned Szymon Kurek.

According to Michał Nowakowski, the project leader for microcredentials, this is indeed a key issue.

‘Poland is in a unique position – decisions on the shape of future regulations can be made based on the recommendations drawn from the national microcredential pilot currently being carried out at IBE-PIB.’

‘Any approach to the legal regulation of microcredentials, or the absence thereof, has its pros and cons. It is worth remembering, however, that in some countries where such regulations exist, very few microcredentials are actually available, and the system simply does not function. In our project, we’ve taken a different approach: we build the solution first, test it in practice, and develop a portfolio of microcredentials. Any future legal framework will come later, complementing a system that is already proven and operational,’ emphasised Michał Nowakowski.

Participants of the meeting included:

Bogusław Dębski, Polish Information Processing Society – Sectoral Council for ICT Competences

Prof. Andrzej Kraśniewski, Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland

Szymon Kurek, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP)

Agnieszka Majcher-Teleon, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy

Aleksandra Wąsik, All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions / Polish Teachers’ Union

Agnieszka Dec, Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy

Marek Michajłowicz, National Information Processing Institute – National Research Institute

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Noah Geisel is a well-known expert in the field of education in the US. He is the driving force behind the Badge Summit @ CU Boulder, a conference he envisioned and developed from the ground up, intending to advance beyond theory and foster conversations based on concrete, real-world situations. He created a space where educational innovation meets real application, and where technology serves as a means of confirming and valuing genuine abilities.

Noah works as Micro-Credential Program Manager at the University of Colorado Boulder and helps students and professionals document what they are truly capable of. 

“If microcredentials and badges have a stage, then Noah Geisel is the one who ensures the spotlight shines on people and their skills,” his friends say about him.

Thanks to Noah, this year’s Badge Summit at CU Boulder featured a presentation by Martyna Leciejewicz and Michał Nowakowski from the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute. Experts from IBE presented the Polish approach to microcredentials. We spoke with Noah during the summit. 

Microcredentials Polska: Looking back at this year’s Badge Summit – how would you summarise the value brought by this inspiring community of experts and practitioners?

Noah Geisel: The keyword there is community. People don’t just attend Badge Summit; they become part of a participatory community that embodies connected learning principles: interest-driven, academically oriented, openly networked, peer-supported, production-centred, and shared purpose. This shifts our presenters from broadcasters to collaborators, and empowers passive attendees to become risk-takers and producers. This is truly inspiring to witness and an honour to lead. And it has nothing to do with microcredentials, honestly. It’s all about humans believing that we can change the world and then actually taking the space to start doing it.

MP: In what direction are microcredentials heading? What key changes or trends do you observe in this area?

NG: I think what we saw this year was a clear indication that the direction of microcredentials is moving from promising potential to actually realising that potential. For most people, the totality of microcredentials has begun with creating credentialing programs and issuing credentials for those programs. What’s interesting is that, for the first time, zooming out to a broader ecosystem approach that recognises the importance of taking into account “What next?” after people earn a credential, is becoming widespread. This is an exciting trend. All of the attractive and shiny aspects of the technology, such as portable badges, digital wallets, etc., are only meaningful in a world in which it is vital that credential earners are operationalising their credentials. This has been a fringe point of view for several years, so it’s a significant trend to see it being more widely accepted.  

MP: From your perspective, what can the USA learn from Europe or countries like Poland in the context of building national or regional microcredentials ecosystems?

NG: Two very important lessons come to mind. First is the cautionary tale that standardised frameworks are not a silver bullet solution. While national adoption is certainly a huge deal to some committees of respected experts, it does not automatically translate to national implementation that impacts and is appreciated by millions. Second, the best practice of refuse to work in silos. Poland, in particular, is an inspirational example of the scale that can be quickly achieved by collaborating across domains and disciplines, bringing together myriad stakeholders (industry, education, government, NGOs, etc.) to help them see that they are interconnected and even interdependent.

MP: Which achievements or practices from the USA, in your opinion, should be considered for implementation in Europe?

NG: In the USA, we have different policy conditions, like Local Control, that make things like nationalised standards difficult to achieve. A consequence of this can be a more permissive environment to be experimental and entrepreneurial. It seems like we have more safe space for allowing early-stage and highly imperfect work “into the wild,” as we say. This promotes more frequent and informative feedback loops, which, in turn, drive more iterative progress.   

MP: If you were to summarise the current state of digital credentials in a few sentences, what would you say?

NG: In just over a decade, this stuff has gone from something only a few people on the planet had even heard of to something to which hundreds of millions of people directly connect. Be it through school, work, membership organisations, or platforms like Duolingo, Snapchat, Lyft, and fitness trackers, digital recognitions are becoming normal. And a huge turning point for the market is that expansion towards ubiquity will make consumers realise what they need from products and start demanding it. For vendors that have held off on developing key infrastructure due to a lack of ROI, that demand is the needed signal they’ve been waiting for. That signal will represent a nexus I predict will rapidly accelerate us toward the future that we’ve been dreaming of.

MP: Finally, what advice or message would you give to university students and graduates navigating the changing world of competencies, credentials, and work?

NG: This work is not just about you; it is for you. And, while you are reliant on other stakeholders to satisfy their responsibilities in this ecosystem, you too have responsibilities to earn your credentials, to be proud of your credentials, to know how to narrate and apply your credentials, and then to actually put them to use.  

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