A workshop at Lifelong Learning ICDE Conference, Lillehammer, 16th Feb, 2023.

1. Leadership for Micro-credentials
Workshop
What should educational leaders be doing in
response to the micro-credentialing movement?
Mark Brown, Ebba Ossiannilsson & Mitchell Joseph Peters

6. https://www.menti.com
Quick online poll…
Voting Code 3917 7168

7. https://www.menti.com
Voting Code 3917 7168
Quick online poll…

8. ● How would you rate your own knowledge of
micro-credentials? (1 = low | 5 = high)
● What level of micro-credential maturity does your
institution/organisation have? (1 = low | 5 = high)
● Tell us about what is happening around the world
in the area of micro-credentials…
Low-tech survey around the room…

9. Poll results…
https://www.mentimeter.com/app/presentation/d6997222046e969fde36d89d4248bf4c

11. Workshop Outline…
Big question…
● What should educational leaders be doing in response to the
micro-credentialing movement?
1. What long-term outcomes do we want to achieve with micro-credentials?
2. What types of leadership and institutional structures are required for a
successful micro-credential implementation strategy?
3. What type of business model(s) should underpin a successful institutional
micro-credential implementation strategy?
Sub questions…

12. Objectives:
• To accelerate a cross-sector conversation on leadership for micro-credentials that
facilitates understanding, uptake, validation and recognition
Expected outcomes:
• Up-to-date knowledge of national and international micro-credentials policy initiatives.
• Critical insights into what several leading institutions are planning regarding micro-credentials.
• Greater awareness of the crucial need for leadership in framing, shaping and implementing an
institutional micro-credential strategy.
• Understanding the key elements for planning and implementing a successful institutional
micro-credential strategy with a transformative focus.
• Deeper appreciation of the barriers and enablers to developing a transformative
micro-credential strategy

13. 1. What long-term outcomes do we want to achieve with
micro-credentials?

14. Reverse Brainstorming…
Envisioning undesirable educational scenarios for micro-credentialing
→ Encourages participants to think the unthinkable and imagine a
reality that is undesirable, disappointing, and negative.
● How do we ensure a failed micro-credential strategy?
● What does a failed micro-credential strategy look like?
● What is the worst case scenario for micro-credentials?
1. What long-term outcomes do we want to achieve with
micro-credentials?

15. Strategic board with senior leadership
Operational committee
Doing a pilot with 42 institutions
<prioritizing legacy mindsets
● How do we ensure a failed micro-credential strategy?
● What does a failed micro-credential strategy look like?
● What is the worst case scenario for micro-credentials?

16. The basic premise is that a successful
institutional micro-credential strategy needs to
answer or at the very least address the
‘why?’ question.

20. 2. What types of leadership and institutional structures are required
for a successful micro-credential implementation strategy?

21. Part 1 - Breakout Focus Groups…
Leadership
- Who should lead the strategy?
- What type of leadership skills are required?
- Where do you look to find the best institutional leader?
2. What types of leadership and institutional structures are required
for a successful micro-credential implementation strategy?

22. Part 1 - Breakout Focus Groups…
Leadership
- Who should lead the strategy?
- What type of leadership skills are required?
- Where do you look to find the best institutional leader?
Teams
- Who needs to be part of the implementation team?
- What other stakeholders need to be involved in the strategy?
- How can leadership and teamwork be optimized?
2. What types of leadership and institutional structures are required
for a successful micro-credential implementation strategy?

23. What Type of Institutional Leadership is Required?

27. Part 2 - Breakout Focus Groups…
Structures:
- What internal structures are needed?
- How can existing structures be leveraged?
- What types of new structures should we consider?
2. What types of leadership and institutional structures are required
for a successful micro-credential implementation strategy?

28. Innovation Horizons…

30. 3. What type of business model(s) should underpin a successful
institutional micro-credential implementation strategy?

31. 3. What type of business model(s) should underpin a successful
institutional micro-credential implementation strategy?

33. 1. What was your main takeaway?
2. What is the single most important enabler for crafting a
successful micro-credential strategy?
3. What action(s) do you plan when you return from the
conference with regard to micro-credentials?
Closing and Synthesis
Where next?