Connecting the dots
3rd ICoBC Symposium — 21 November 2023, Stresemannstraße 123, Berlin.
This symposium was fully booked.
A holistic view on open badges and micro-credentials
The 2023 ICoBC Symposium explores the theme of “connecting the dots” in the field of open badges and micro-credentials. These digital credentials have the potential to transform the way we recognize, assess, and communicate learning across different contexts and domains. To realize this potential, we need a holistic view and engagement with diverse stakeholders who have different needs, expectations, and challenges.
Connecting the dots means understanding how open badges and micro-credentials can create value for individuals facing barriers to access, progress, and transition in their learning and career pathways; how employers, associations, education providers, and training agencies can benefit from innovative ways of recognizing competencies; and how we can ensure the quality, interoperability, and trustworthiness of these credentials in a global and dynamic market.
At the 2023 symposium, we discuss how to:
- Elaborate the concept and benefits of a holistic view on the value of open badges and micro-credentials for different stakeholders in employment, education, and learning.
- Identify and analyze the challenges and opportunities for connecting the dots between sectors and industries that use, or could use, open badges and micro-credentials.
- Apply innovative strategies to design, implement, and evaluate initiatives that address the needs of individuals, employers, associations, education providers, and training agencies.
- Demonstrate awareness of the diverse perspectives of actors in the ecosystem, and foster collaboration and communication among them.
- Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of open badges and micro-credentials on personal, professional, and social development.
Program
Registration and welcome coffee
Opening remarks
Armin Hopp Founder of Speexx and President of ICoBC
Keynote: Connecting the dots — a holistic view on the value of open badges and micro-credentials
Keynote
Stuart Martin Founder, George Angus Consulting
Stuart Martin, a renowned expert in micro- and digital credentialing, shares his insights on how open badges and micro-credentials can enhance the value of education and industry capability. Drawing from extensive experience around the world, and as a representative of the Global Apprenticeship Network, he presents a holistic view of the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of implementing micro- and digital credentialing across sectors and regions.
He also showcases projects he has led or contributed to, such as research into the value of credentials, designing assessment and moderation systems, and creating digital badges for various disciplines.
Break
Session A: How open badges and micro-credentials support learners’ access, progress and transition in their learning and career pathways
Facilitator: Dominic Orr, atingi. How open badges and micro-credentials empower learners to showcase their skills, achievements, and interests in a digital and portable way — with specific emphasis on inclusion and diversity.
Input 1: The power of digital credentials: breaking down barriers and fostering equal opportunity
Kim Steenkjær Mortensen Co-Founder, Diplomasafe
Kim shares his passion for the intersection of technology, education, and social impact, and explains how digital credentials promote accessibility, merit-based recognition, lifelong learning, inclusivity, and global reach.
Input 2: Empowering the global workforce in their non-linear career pathways with Open Badges, Verifiable Credentials, Verified Skills and Verified IDs at LinkedIn
Rolf Reinhardt Senior Account Director, LinkedIn
How LinkedIn leverages Open Badges, Verifiable Credentials, Verified Skills, and Verified IDs to help professionals showcase their achievements, skills, and identities in a trusted and verifiable way — and how this benefits employers, educators, and learners.
Lunch
Session B: How employers, associations, education providers and training agencies benefit from innovative ways of recognizing competencies and achievements
Facilitator: Dr. Sabine Zander, imc. Benefits, challenges, and best practices of digital credentialing initiatives — to enhance reputation, increase visibility, streamline processes, and foster trust.
Input 1: Open Badges for language learning: a case study from FAO
Irina Melnikova L&D, FAO
How Open Badges recognize and motivate language learning at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): what they are, how they support language learning goals, examples of badges issued, and the challenges and opportunities of this approach.
Input 2: A skill directory for high energy intensive industries
Jorge Muract Director, steeluniversity
Insights from two four-year European projects, the European Steel Skills Alliance (ESSA) and SPIRE-SAIS, which developed a skill directory connected with ESCO and aligned with the European Qualifications Framework to be compatible with Europass — including the methodology, the platform, and lessons learned.
Break
Session C: How to ensure the quality, interoperability and trustworthiness of open badges and micro-credentials in a global and dynamic market
Facilitator: Dr. Jan Renz, Dataport. Validating digital credentials from the perspective of the verifier, plus current and future trends, standards, and policies.
Input 1: Pioneering credential paths: strategies for successful implementation and recognition of micro-credentials
Andreas Wittke Technische Hochschule Lübeck
An AI prototype that automates module recognition using natural language processing and vector-based matching: a student uploads a module handbook from another institution, which is compared with the local module database to return full, partial, or no recognition.
Input 2: Towards interoperable self-sovereign identities
Hakan Yildiz Accenture
An overview of self-sovereign identity (SSI) — verifiable credentials, decentralized identifiers, and interoperability standards — with use cases in healthcare, education, and finance.
Break
Panel discussion: Challenges and opportunities for connecting the dots in the field of open badges and micro-credentials
Moderated by Gudrun Porath, neues lernen. From the role of technology and assessment to equity and inclusion, data privacy and security, and how open badges and micro-credentials become recognized and valued by employers, institutions, and learners.
- Andreas Hörfurter Co-Founder, common sense
- Sue Martin Board Member, The e-Assessment Association
- Tim Riches Co-Founder, Navigatr
Closing remarks by the vice-presidents of ICoBC
Rolf Reinhardt and Jan Muehlig
Reception
Dinner (for invited guests)
Partners, sponsors and supporters
Sponsoring the ICoBC Symposium
Express your interest in sponsoring or supporting the event by email.
Email us about sponsoringPrevious sponsors and supporters include Microsoft, LinkedIn, Speexx, Lightcast / Emsi Burning Glass, CredShare, Credivera, and relevantive. As a sponsor, you gain the following benefits:
- 2 complimentary registrations at the symposium
- Hyperlink with company name and logo on the official symposium web page
- Company name on promotional emails
- Logo or listing in the ICoBC onsite program as an official sponsor
- Logo displayed on the banner at the event entrance
- Logo displayed in video recordings
Participants of previous symposia
Organizations
Access Microfinance Holding AG, AccessHolding, America Succeeds, Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, Atlantic Technological University, Australian Catholic University, Badge Europe, Bayer, Bildungsplattform der WKO GmbH, Bloom Foundation, BMBF, Bookt, Brigham Young University, CanCred by Learning Agents, Certif-ID International OHG, CGFNS International, Concentric Sky / Badgr, Credential Engine, Credivera, CredShare, DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), Digitary, Education Design Lab, Education in Motion, E-duProof UG, eLearning Africa, Emsi Burning Glass, Essential Skills Program, Fachhochschule Münster, FAO, Forever Day One (4ed1 GmbH), Gear Up, George Washington University, German Testing Board e.V., Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), ZDH, Hochschulforum Digitalisierung, Humanitarian Leadership Academy, ICDE, ICoBC, imc AG, Institute of Technology Sligo, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Jumia, kcg.edu, Knapp & Associates Int’l, Lightcast, LinkedIn, Microsoft, NAEC, The Open University (UK), Proctorio GmbH, RANDA Solutions, Regione Emilia-Romagna, relevantive GmbH, Seneca College, Speexx, SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences, Stifterverband, Studieorganisasjon Folkeuniversitetet, T3 Innovation Network, Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck, Technische Universität Berlin, TÜV Rheinland International GmbH, University of Huddersfield, University of Kentucky, University of Maine System, UNSSC, VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH, Visions, Western Governors University, World Bank
Job titles
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Innovation in Digital Badges and Micro-Credentials, Assistant Professor, CEO, CGO, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Co-Founder, Consultant, CTO, Dean, Director, Director Business Development, Director Strategic Partnerships, Director UK Higher Education, Director Digital Credentials Research & Innovation, Education Designer Micro-Credentialing, Education Futures Architect, Employment Counselor, Entrepreneur, Founder, Geschäftsführer / Managing Director, Global Head Personnel Certification, Head of Issuing Authorities, Head of Marketing, Head of Online Learning Innovation, Head of Online Learning Student Experience, Head of Platform & Blockchain Development, Head of Product, Instructor, Lead Engineer, Learning Specialist, Manager Digital Authentication, Managing Director, Network Facilitator / Senior Scholar, Partnerships & Projects, Policy Advisor, President, Product Manager Verifiable Credentials, Professor, Project Coordinator, Project Lead, Project Manager, Provost, Research Professor and Co-Director, Researcher and Project Manager, Sales Consultant, Senior Account Director, Senior Desk Officer Digital Credentials, Senior Director, Senior Project Manager, Staff Development and Learning Assistant, Team Leader Testing, Vice President of Partnerships, VP Workforce Intelligence & Credential Integrity
The venue
The ICoBC Symposium 2023 took place at Stresemannstraße 123, 10963 Berlin.