MU micro-credential system inspires the world
MU’s experience in micro-credentials is sought after by European and Asian universities.
Year 2024 with Lifelong Learning at Masaryk University
The year 2024 was literally revolutionary for lifelong learning at Masaryk University (MU). Most of the year was related to the implementation of a new administration environment within the MU Information System and the introduction of microcredentials.
The new year began with the final preparation of the new Masaryk University Lifelong Learning Regulations, which reflect the current educational requirements for the adult population not only in the Czech Republic and respond to the growing demand for lifelong learning (LLL) from the labor as well as the educational opportunities markets. The regulations were approved by the MU management and the Academic Senate and came into force on 1 May 2024.
The approval of the new regulations was only the first step towards the overall reorganization of LLL at MU. The entire spring of 2024 was busy with the introduction of a completely new administration environment within the MU Information System designed for both the administration of all LLL activities at MU in one place and the issuance and administration of a new form of electronic records - microcredentials.
In June 2024, we launched the national Microcredentials Authentication and Verification System microcertifikat.cz, prepared by the programmers from the MU Information System, and MU became the first university in the Czech Republic to issue fully electronic microcredentials verifiable in the national system and one of the first universities in Europe to issue microcredentials verifiable in the Europass Digital Credentials system. To date, around 600 microcredentials have been issued in the microcertifikat.cz system, almost half of which belong to MU.
LLL at MU did not stop working during the summer holidays and in cooperation with the MU Records Service prepared procedural tasks to ensure the formal obligations of the quality assurance to be met by LLL at MU. Therefore, the beginning of the new academic year 2024/2025 was mainly devoted to filing the LLL programs and the program guarantor information to the MU Records System.
Also, throughout 2024, the LLL offer on the University for Life page gradually expanded. We created new subpages specifically for microcredentials and collaboration and partnership with LLL MU, and new categories of education for children and youth are to be introduced soon.
And what will 2025 be like? Let's hope it will be calmer in terms of administrative tasks related to LLL at MU, and let's hope that it will still be active in terms of creating new educational opportunities that will be interesting and beneficial for LLL participants and will allow them not only to find their dream jobs, but to broaden their horizons in a field of their interest, too.
