Micro-credentials and free online courses
Advance your skills to address global challenges: Take part in lifelong learning with CHARM-EU
CHARM-EU is committed to supporting lifelong learning and professional development for all learners. These high-quality, innovative micro-credentials and free online courses are delivered by CHARM-EU partners. Aligned with CHARM-EU educational principles they engage learners to address real-world challenges.
What is a micro-credential?
A micro-credential is the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning. These learning outcomes have been assessed against transparent and clearly defined standards. Courses leading to micro-credentials are designed to provide the learner with specific knowledge, skills and competences that respond to societal, personal, cultural or labour market needs. In the context of this catalogue the majority of micro-credentials are paid courses.
What is a free online course?
Free online courses listed in this catalogue are generally for life long learning and targeted to the general public. There is no charge for these courses and anyone with an internet connection can access.
Human Rights in Doing Business
- Microcredential
- Åbo Akademi University
- The course provides a solid foundation for understanding why human rights are important in business.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Challenge-based, Research-based, Situated Learning, Transdisciplinarity, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Promote human rights; Social justice; International human rights law
Closing date for applications:
- Opening on the 5th of December
The Law and Policy of Business of Human Rights
- Microcredential
- Åbo Akademi University
- The course provides an overview of the human rights framework relevant for business actors.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Situated Learning, Student-centered, Technology-enhanced, Transnational and intercultural learning, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Demonstrate disciplinary expertise; Business law; Process data
Closing date for applications:
- Opening on the 5th of December
Introducción a la Sostenibilidad Corporativa
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Introduction to corporate sustainability as a mechanism of value for the company and for society
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Situated Learning, Student-centered, Sustainability, Transdisciplinarity
ESCO skills:
- Measure company's sustainability performance; Advise on sustainable management policies; Develop environmental policy
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
Claves para la innovación en la docencia universitaria
- Free online course
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Keys to Innovation in University Teaching: Active Learning Methodologies and Educational Technology
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Situated Learning, Student-centered, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Creatively use digital technologies; Collaborate through digital technologies; Evaluate education programmes
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
Liderazgo Saludable: Fomentando Bienestar y Work-Life-Flow
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Empower leaders to build a balanced, healthy workplace with well-being and engagement at its core.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Challenge-based, Student-centered, Transdisciplinarity, Transnational and intercultural learning, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Manage stress in the work place; Ensure health and safety of staff; Promote mental health
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
Nudging para la Digitalización en la Educación
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Offer strategies + tools to apply nudging to improve quality and efficiency of digitalized education.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Challenge-based, Student-centered, Sustainability, Technology-enhanced, Transdisciplinarity, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Think innovatively; Cope with challenging demands; Media and information literacy
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
IA i Tecnologies Lingüístiques per a l’Aprenentatge de Llengües
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Practical training on using AI and digital tools for language teaching and materials creation.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Research-based, Student-centered, Technology-enhanced, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Computational linguistics; Language teaching methods; Learning technologies
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
Incorporación de la Perspectiva Interseccional en el Diseño y Evaluación de Políticas Públicas
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Training on applying an intersectional approach to designing and evaluating public policies.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Inclusivity, Situated Learning, Transdisciplinarity, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Synthesise information; Perform market research; Policy analysis
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
Fundamentos de la Inteligencia Artificial: Técnicas, Regulación y Derechos
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- This course deals in a basic and didactic way with the technical and legal foundations of AI.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Situated Learning, Sustainability, Transdisciplinarity, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Principles of artificial intelligence; Ict security legislation; Artificial neural networks
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
Antropologia en Acció: Claus per Entendre i Transformar la Realitat Social
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Social and cultural analysis and intervention. Applied anthropology. Ethnography.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Challenge-based, Inclusivity, Situated Learning, Student-centered, Sustainability, Transdisciplinarity, Transnational and intercultural learning
ESCO skills:
- Apply knowledge of social sciences and humanities; Interact professionally in research and professional environments; Conduct research across disciplines
Closing date for applications:
- Currently open for applications
Tackling real-world problems through Interdisciplinary Collaboration (TIC)
- Microcredential
- Universiteit Utrecht
- Students work in small multidisciplinary groups on a solution for a real-world complex challenge.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Challenge-based, Research-based, Situated Learning, Student-centered, Sustainability, Transdisciplinarity, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Use communication and collaboration software; Think creatively; Solve problems
Closing date for applications:
- Sept
The exposome: cracking the science about what makes us sick
- Free online course
- Universiteit Utrecht
- Discover how non-genetic factors influence health and disease—our genes alone don’t determine our fate.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Research-based, Sustainability, Transdisciplinarity
ESCO skills:
- Educate on the prevention of illness; Toxicology; Epidemiology
Closing date for applications:
- No closing date
Learn with UniEco: Become more sustainable
- Free online course
- Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem, Trinity College Dublin, Universitat de Barcelona, Université de Montpellier, Universiteit Utrecht
- A free online course offering five modules to empower climate-action and sustainable living skills.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Sustainability, Technology-enhanced, Transdisciplinarity, Transnational and intercultural learning
ESCO skills:
- Promote environmental awareness, Assess environmental impact, Engage others in environment friendly behaviours
Closing date for applications:
- No closing date
Innovative Teaching in Inter-Institutional Hybrid Classrooms
- Microcredential
- Åbo Akademi University, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Trinity College Dublin, Universiteit Utrecht
- Learn how to design and apply inter-institutional hybrid classroom curricula, learning activities, assessments, and best practices.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Situated Learning, Technology-enhanced, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Apply blended learning, e-learning, develop learning curriculum, intercultural communication methods
Closing date for applications:
- Register your interest: anna.granberg@abo.fi
Viruses transmited through Water and Food: Risks, Prevention and Control
- Microcredential
- Universitat de Barcelona
- Gain knowledge on managing waterborne and zoonotic viruses in the context of climate change, safeguarding public and animal health.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Situated Learning, Student-centered, Transdisciplinarity
ESCO skills:
- Foodborne diseases, Detect microorganisms, Virology
Closing date for applications:
- TBC
Natural Products: Harnessing Nature’s Resources for a Better World
- Free online course
- Trinity College Dublin
- Explore bioactive natural products, sustainable practices, and their role in the circular bioeconomy.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Research-based, Student-centered, Sustainability, Technology-enhanced
ESCO skills:
- Bioeconomy, Pharmacognosy, Circular economy
Closing date for applications:
- You can start the course at any time.
Inequality and Democracy
- Free online course
- Universiteit Utrecht
- Understand how and why economic inequality negatively affects democracy, through the use of theories in philosophy, economics, political science, and law.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Challenge-based, Technology-enhanced, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Promote the principles of democracy and rule of law, Apply knowledge of social sciences and humanities, Develop economic policies
Closing date for applications:
- 7 September and 2 November 2025
Cross-National Data: From Questionnaire Development to Analysis
- Microcredential
- Universiteit Utrecht
- Learn to design, assess, and analyze multi-national, multi-lingual, and multi-cultural surveys, addressing comparability and biases.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Inclusivity, Research-based, Transdisciplinarity, Transnational and intercultural learning
ESCO skills:
- Respect the diversity of cultural values and norms, Survey techniques, Conduct research across disciplines
Closing date for applications:
- 25 June 2025
Women’s Health After Motherhood (WHAM)
- Free online course
- Trinity College Dublin
- Learn to care for your physical and mental health post-birth and feel supported during the postpartum period.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Situated Learning, Student-centered, Sustainability, Technology-enhanced
ESCO skills:
- Postpartum period, Provide postnatal care, Promote mental health
Closing date for applications:
- You can start the course at any time.
Practical Frameworks for Innovation
- Microcredential
- Trinity College Dublin
- Learn creative problem-solving, design thinking, and systems thinking to apply innovative solutions to real-world challenges.
CHARM-EU educational principles:
- Challenge-based, Situated Learning, Student-centered, Sustainability, Technology-enhanced, Transversal Skills
ESCO skills:
- Think creatively, Design thinking, Innovation processes
Closing date for applications:
- 27th September 2025