The integration of micro-credentials with mobility can serve multiple functions. Micro-credentials offer formal acknowledgement for the skills gained during a mobility. They can also encourage collaboration across (CHARM-EU) institutions by creating structured learning pathways that bridge physical and digital learning environments. By 2026, CHARM-EU aims to develop and explore 120–160 ECTS worth of micro-credentials, making it a worthwhile effort to explore how these micro-credentials can be combined with intercultural learning opportunities and/or physical international mobility.

Mapping micro-credentials and mobility

Micro-credentials can be combined with international mobility in various ways. Since micro-credentials are by definition short learning opportunities (i.e. courses, workshops, trainings etc.), they can be fully integrated with existing forms of short-term mobility (e.g. staff weeks, BIPs, etc.), or they can be combined with an existing long-term mobility (e.g. semester mobility).

Within CHARM-EU, educationalists and mobility experts have collaborated to map the possibilities, as well as the benefits and challenges of combining micro-credentials and mobility components. We have identified four ways in which micro-credentials and mobility can be combined:

1. A micro-credential is linked to a mobility: A short learning opportunity which is rewarded with a credential (ECTS, digital credential, etc.) is offered as preparation for a mobility, or to conclude a mobility. For example: a student who is going on an exchange semester to Ireland enrolls in a short preparatory micro-credential on Irish history and culture, offered by Trinity College Dublin in the form of an online training.
2. A micro-credential is part of a larger mobility: A short learning opportunity which is rewarded with a credential (ECTS, digital credential, etc.) is integrated into a mobility program. For example: a student who is on an exchange semester at the University of Barcelona takes a short Spanish language course while there, which is rewarded with a digital badge which the student can link on their CV.
3. A mobility is part of a micro-credential: A short learning opportunity which is rewarded with a credential (ECTS, digital credential, etc.) includes a short mobility. For example: staff members from Utrecht University, Bergen University, and Hochschule Ruhr West take part in a Staff BIP in which they have online training sessions over the course of three weeks, culminating in a five-day mobility during which they present their results, and have the opportunity for networking. They receive a digital badge at the end of the BIP which they can publish on their LinkedIn page.
4. The micro-credential itself is a mobility: A short learning opportunity which is rewarded with a credential (ECTS, digital credential, etc.) is entirely devised as a mobility. For example, a PhD candidate from the University of Montpellier participates in a summer school at Abo Academy in Finland. They receive ECTS and a digital credential as recognition for their participation.

Benefits for various stakeholders

• For students, Micro-credentials combined with mobility can provide several benefits across all levels of study. Students could benefit from mobility-linked micro-credentials see example 1 above) that provide greater networking opportunities and enhance the skills they will use during their international exchange. Online micro-credentials (such as a Transnational Online Learning course which is rewarded with a small amount of ECTS and/or a digital credential) may also be particularly useful for students who have not yet had the opportunity for international exposure, offering them a structured and recognized pathway to gain global competencies.
• For doctoral candidates, micro-credentials that promote transdisciplinary research skills and intercultural competencies could complement their academic development, helping to increase mobility options that are often limited for this group. Doctoral candidates in particular, may also benefit from shorter, more flexible mobility options, which can be funded through various mechanisms such as Erasmus grants for short-term or blended mobility.
• For staff members, micro-credentials combined with mobility (such as in examples 3 and 4 above) can help staff to develop professional skills, deepen their understanding of international collaboration and bring new expertise back to their home institutions. The combination of a mobility and a micro-credential in this case brings together the learning and networking benefits of regular international staff training with the tangible outcome offered by a micro-credential: visible recognition for the mobility in the form of a credential which can be shared on an online profile page, CV, or LinkedIn profile.

Challenges and considerations

An important consideration in designing new learning opportunities is inclusivity. Since international mobility always requires a certain financial commitment from the participant, this may present challenges with regards to accessibility. For anyone designing a micro-credential in combination with a mobility, it is therefore advisable to think from an early stage about options for financial support for participants. Organisers should consider funding sources early on. If financing is sought through Erasmus+ (to provide individual grants for participants during the mobility) then the mobility should in advance be designed in such a way as to comply with the rules for Erasmus+ funding.

Examples from CHARM-EU

CHARM-EU is already taking concrete steps toward integrating mobility and micro-credentials. One of the first initiatives is “Understanding and Navigating Interculturality: A short online preparation course” , designed for students going on mobility exchanges. This course can be taken by both incoming and outgoing students, as well as staff members, and serves as a model for future mobility-linked micro-credentials.

Looking ahead, CHARM-EU will continue to explore innovative ways to integrate micro-credentials into existing mobility structures. It will also work on developing a framework for registering and recognizing these credentials across partner institutions, ensuring consistency and transparency. Further efforts will be made to align these initiatives with CHARM-EU’s educational principles, ensuring that they contribute to the broader goals of the project.

Examples of learning activities with mobility components which received a digital credential from CHARM-EU:

• Interculturality in Research (Summerschool BIP + MC, for PhDs)
• Inter-Institutional Curriculum Design for Transdisciplinary Programmes (Hackathon Staff BIP + MC, for academic staff)
• International Mobility Coordination (Staff week BIP + MC, for administrative staff)
• Citizen Science in Action: Skills, Tools, and Community Engagement for Early-Career Researchers (Winter School BIP + MC, for young researchers)

Interested in more CHARM-EU micro-credentials? Browse our current offer in the CHARM-EU micro-credentials catalogue.

If you are an international coordinator, policy advisor, or academic staff member aiming to improve cross-border collaboration and student mobility, you have the opportunity to collaborate in the creation and delivery of micro-credentials that align with the needs of your students. The guide below provides steps to help you navigate the creation, implementation and promotion of micro-credentials as part of mobility programs at your institution, or to design mobility options in collaboration with academic colleagues in order to integrate a micro-credential with a short mobility.

You can also review the resources below, such as the ‘EAIE Poster Presentation – Micro-credentials and Mobility’ which offers a visualisation of the four ways in which Micro-credentials and Mobility can be combined. In addition, CHARM-EU has developed various information pages regarding micro-credentials.

 Questions to kickstart your design process:

• Which existing mobility opportunities at your institution (e.g. Semester Exchange) could be combined with a micro-credential?
• Which existing short mobility opportunities (e.g. Summer School, Staff Week) could be integrated with a micro-credential to ensure better recognition of the mobility for participants?
• Which target groups at your institution are currently underrepresented in mobility? Could a micro-credential make mobility more feasible/attractive for them?
• Can you identify existing short learning opportunities (courses, trainings, etc.) which would benefit from the addition of a (short) mobility?
• Which funding is available to support the mobility of your participants? Are there Erasmus+ opportunities your local internationalization expert could advise on?