CREDIPILLS for XXI Century Skills

Micro-credentials have emerged as a key policy priority across the EU due to the increasing demand for short, flexible learning formats that validate skills acquisition outside traditional degree programs. According to the Council of the
European Union’s 2022 Recommendation on Micro-Credentials, such certifications are essential for lifelong learning and employability. This recommendation encourages the development of a standardized framework to ensure the recognition and quality assurance of micro-credentials across Europe.

A major challenge in today’s labor market is the growing gap between education and the actual skills required by employers. While universities traditionally certify specialized knowledge, they often fail to adequately assess and certify transversal skills. 

Additionally, the European Skills Agenda highlights the need for recognition systems that certify skills in smaller, more flexible learning formats.

Besides that, the twin transitions—digital and green—are reshaping the education and employment landscape. The European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) calls for the integration of digital skills training into higher education curricula, emphasizing the importance of online certification systems.

Finally, there is a need to make broader use of the existing European platform EUROPASS.

The goal of the project is to develop and validate an innovative approach to the development and certification of 21st century skills, a key component of which is the "21st Century Skills Pills" (short, intensive teaching modules to develop key skills). As part of the project, we plan to create a system of flexible methods for developing 21st-century skills and link it to a system of microcredentials that will confirm the successive acquisition of these skills by students in "small steps".

As part of the project, in the first stage, learning outcomes will be prepared, and a taxonomy of these outcomes will be developed, which will provide a solid foundation for the creation of an effective and reliable microcredentials system.

In the next stage, coherent pathways for the development of 21st-century competencies during studies (in the form of Skills Pill pathways) will be developed and tested using the EUROPASS platform.

The CREDIPILLS project enhances excellence in learning and teaching by introducing a structured micro-credentialing system that recognizes students' achievements in 21st-century skills development. Through a combination of “Pills of Skills” and personalized learning pathways, students can progressively acquire, validate, and showcase their competencies in an internationally recognized format.

The project integrates:  A taxonomy of learning outcomes for 21st-century skills; A library of skill-building modules (“Pills”) across multiple disciplines; The design of competency pathways tailored to student needs and labor market
demands; Workshops for university teachers to ensure effective implementation of innovative pedagogical approaches.

Through these initiatives, CREDIPILLS fosters a culture of academic excellence by rewarding students and educators who engage in competency-based learning. The micro-credentials will be integrated into the EUROPASS platform, ensuring recognition at the European level and facilitating students’ transition from education to employment.

CREDIPILLS also actively contributes to the digital transformation of higher education institutions by implementing a digital platform for micro-credentialing that aligns with EQF, ECTS, and ISO 17024 industry standards; developing Moodle-based learning modules for seamless access to flexible, online learning.

Additionally, the project promotes green capabilities by: encouraging digital certification, reducing reliance on paper-based diplomas;  embedding sustainability-focused learning pathways into the micro-credential structure, ensuring that students develop competencies relevant to the green economy; supporting educational practices that integrate environmental responsibility, in line with the European Green Deal and the EU’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By enhancing digital infrastructure, upskilling educators, and offering students access to industry-aligned credentials, CREDIPILLS empowers HEIs to become more adaptive, future-ready institutions.

Key outcomes:

• Learning outcomes taxonomy – Classification including knowledge, skill, and social outcomes, focusing on 21st-century skills and market requirements.
• Skills Pills library – A collection of skills modules with learning outcomes evaluation criteria aligned with micro-credential requirements.
• Playbook for CREDIPILLS – A reference model containing designed pathways and criteria for awarding micro-credentials.

Partners:

• INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO DE PORTALEGRE (Portugal) - Coordinator
• University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow (Poland) 
• Alma Mayter Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Department of Management (Italy)
• Universidad De Murcia (Spain)
• Knowledge and Innovation Center (Malta)
• University of Novi Sad ESHERE (Serbia)

DiSA Team Leader: Matteo Vignoli

DISA Team members: Clio Dosi, Ettore Gorni

Total project contribution: 400,000 €

Start date: 01/11/2025 - End date: 30/04/2028

Funded by the European Union. However, the opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.