Digital reality is changing everything. Also how we validate our knowledge and abilities and how we learn them. Odznaka+, an innovative application developed by the Educational Research Institute (IBE), is the first Polish tool that responds to one of the most pressing needs of the education and labour markets. It is a platform that not only facilitates the collection of digital badges and microcredentials but also opens up new possibilities for documenting competences. 

Read on and find out:

• What is Odznaka+ and what is the history of the app?
• How does the Odznaka+ app work and who is it targeted at?

What is Odznaka+?

The advancement of technology is affecting the labour market and altering the way we approach education and the validation of competences. When creating the Odznaka+ application, experts from the Educational Research Institute aimed to facilitate adaptation to the new circumstances.

Odznaka+ is the first Polish application for confirming various types of achievements, which, among other things, makes it easier to demonstrate competencies in front of employers or in educational environments. It uses the internationally recognised Open Badges standard, thereby guaranteeing the security and reliability of issued documents. The app is available as a browser-based as well as a mobile platform, so it can be used anytime, anywhere. It combines internationally proven technological solutions with innovative, original ideas. 

Odznaka+. History of the Polish application

Initially, the app was designed to issue and collect digital badges that acted as recognitions for specific achievements. However, in 2024, it has also been adapted to support digital microcredentials – comprehensive documents confirming the acquisition of specific skills, qualifications or knowledge, with a greater emphasis on their formal and educational value. In addition, the mechanism for creating development paths has been rebuilt in the application.

‘By abandoning the open space in favour of a hierarchical structure that is consistent for all, we make it easy for our users to instantly analyse the correlations between the various credentials. Issuers, on the other hand, receive a user-friendly interface for creating paths, complete with drag and drop support,’ says Grzegorz Tylek, digital service design expert for the project “Microcredentials – piloting a new solution to support lifelong learning”.

At the initial stage, the application was based on credentials in the Open Badges 2.0 standard. Its universality and openness made it possible to adaptively and quickly test the technological solutions it provided, as well as its usefulness in the context of national educational solutions. It also ensures the security and credibility of the issued credentials. 

Currently, further technology standards are being implemented in the application developed by the Educational Research Institute, including the microcredential standard. At the end of the first quarter of 2025, in addition to Open Badges 2.0, the following standards will be operational in the Odznaka+ app:

• original microcredential standard,
• Open Badges 3.0,
• European Digital Credentials. 

‘In the future, we do also plan to add a catalogue of microcredentials and a list of digital badges available in Poland,’ Grzegorz Tylek adds.

How does Odznaka+ work?

Following these changes and improvements to the application, its use has become simple and intuitive. The whole process consists of three steps:

1. Creation of credentials: Organisations, companies or educational institutions create unique digital credentials for various achievements, such as the completion of a course, participation in a project or the acquisition of a specific competence and/or skill.
2. Awarding of credentials: The user receives a digital credential that confirms the competence and/or skill he/she has acquired. 
3. Storing and sharing: The digital credential goes into what is known as the user’s wallet, from where it can be easily shared online, e.g. on social media, on a blog or in application documents.

The Odznaka+ application is targeted at a wide range of users, both individual and institutional.

• Students and pupils: they can document their skills and educational achievements, making it easier to present their competences to future employers.
• Employees and professionals: Odznaka+ enables them to certify their participation in courses, training or projects, which supports their career development.
• Companies and enterprises: The Odznaka+ allows to acknowledge the participation of employees in training courses, projects, as well as to reward them for their achievements, thus fostering a culture of appreciation and motivation.
• NGOs and associations: They can use the app to recognise volunteers, members or programme participants, highlighting their contribution and commitment.
• Individuals seeking to gain lifelong knowledge: Pensioners, any people developing their interests, can document their activities and acquired competences, highlighting their commitment to personal development.