SME engagement for master programme design – ManagiDiTH
Best practices SME engagement for master programme design – ManagiDiTH Users: Training providers (public) | Theme: Skills data | Action: Education programmes/ courses | Beneficiaries: Training providers (Public), Industry, SMEs Rosália Rodrigues https://managidith.eu ManagiDiTH has brought together a multi-stakeholder consortium to develop a 1,5 year master’s programme for digital transformation in healthcare. The industry and academic expertise gathered from the respective partners allows the programme to equip professionals from healthcare, digital technologies, and management with the skills needed to plan and implement digital health services.Well-defining these skills is high-priority for the project. That said ManagiDiTH’s consortium offers a unique mix and thus a solid understanding of the needs and particularities of industry, and particularly SMEs. The challenge? ManagiDiTH has had to conduct a comprehensive ecosystem mapping and digital skills needs assessment to ensure the curriculum aligns with industry demands. This involves identifying key stakeholders across local and European healthcare and digital ecosystems, including healthcare institutions, technology providers, policymakers, and academic organisations. Additionally, an in-depth analysis of upcoming technological trends was necessary to understand the evolving landscape of digital health solutions. A key aspect of this challenge has been evaluating the current and future digital competencies required by healthcare professionals, ensuring that the programme equips graduates with the skills needed to lead digital transformation in the sector. Our solution ManagiDiTH integrated social skills training with specialised modules in data science and interoperability, ensuring graduates were equipped with both technical and interpersonal skills for digital healthcare transformation. We established a coherent curriculum with well-defined modules, clear learning outcomes and assessment methods. A dedicated digital learning platform was also implemented to enhance accessibility and engagement for students. We also secured accreditation across multiple countries and institutions, the programme’s recognition and credibility within the European healthcare sector was ensured, which facilitated widespread adoption and long-term impact. Outcomes With the development of technical and interpersonal skills, all graduates are well-equipped to lead and collaborate in digital healthcare transformation, addressing both the technical and human aspects of the field. Due to the multi-level accreditation the programme, and the graduates, have gained a strong level of recognition across institutions and counties. Key takeaways Industry-Led Guest Lectures & Workshops: SMEs deliver guest lectures and workshops, providing students with real-world insights, case studies, and practical applications of digital healthcare solutions. Project-Based Learning with SME Collaboration: SMEs actively participate in designing and executing project-based learning modules, ensuring students gain hands-on experience in solving industry-specific challenges. Internships & Work Placements: Students have access to internships and work placements with SMEs, allowing them to apply their skills in professional environments. Advisory Board Participation: SMEs contribute to advisory boards, ensuring continuous alignment of the curriculum with evolving industry needs, trends, and technological advancements. Collaborative Research & Innovation: SMEs engage in research initiatives, both locally and through multi-partner hybrid projects, allowing cross-sector knowledge exchange. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
SME involvment in master’s programme design: development of engagement models
Best practices SME involvment in master’s programme design: development of engagement models Users: Training providers (public) | Theme: Industry engagement | Action: Education programmes/courses | Beneficiaries: Training providers (Public), Training Providers (Private) Baran Bayindir https://aiandhealth.eu/ AI and Health offers a double master’s degree across France, Spain, Italy, and Sweden, integrating AI technologies into healthcare, biology and medicine. To ensure the quality and relevance of the content in such a dynamic field requires the involvement of domain experts and key industry actors. These actors can provide links to the latest advancements in the field and real-life use case that can be incorporated in the curriculum. The challenge? A key challenge in the AI and Health programme was ensuring the early involvement of skilled talent and SMEs in the programme design. Delays in engaging industry actors hindered the ability to establish necessary operational steps and align academic content with real-world industry needs. Without early planning, maintaining SME participation and ensuring long-term programme effectiveness became difficult. Our solution Hands-on Training with Industry Experts: SMEs were actively involved in course creation, and industry professionals were integrated into the training staff, ensuring that content remained relevant to real-world applications in AI and healthcare.Integrated Micro-Credentials & Digital Certification: The programme was designed around micro-credentials and digital certification systems, enhancing industry recognition and promoting professional participation. Outcomes The program’s collaboration with industry experts and integration of micro-credentials led to a highly relevant, real-world learning experience for participants. Hands-on training with industry professionals ensured that the content stayed up-to-date with current AI and healthcare applications, equipping learners with practical skills. Key takeaways Raise Awareness Through Events: Regularly host collaborative events bringing together academia and industry, in order to promote cross-sector engagement and help align academic programmes with industry needs. Prepare Engagement Models in Advance: Develop structured SME engagement models that introduce companies to study courses early. Allowing for better integration of industry requirements into the programme. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
Leveraging flexible approaches and platforms for SME engagement in master’s programme design
Best practices Leveraging flexible approaches and platforms for SME engagement in master’s programme design Users: Training providers (public) | Theme: Industry engagement | Action: Education programmes/ courses | Beneficiaries: Training providers (Public), Industry, SMEs Antonio Arcos, Fernando Garcia Molina https://www.digitwin4ciue.eu/ DIGITWIN4CIEU offers a master’s degree across Spain, France, Hungary, and Turkey, equiping civil engineers with digital skill’s for the industry’s transformation. The quality and relevance of the content is largely ensured due to the industry and academic experts from SMEs and universities that have collaborated in the development of this masters. The challenge? Convincing SMEs in manufacturing to embrace the virtualization of infrastructures proves challenging, as they are already struggling to adapt to industry-specific requirements such as developing Building Information Modelings (BIM). Additionally, SMEs are hesitant to invest in sponsoring students and face limited availability of employees to participate in the preparation stages of the Master’s programme due to professional projects and deadlines that they must adhere to. Our solution Academic programme designed with flexibility: To attract different disciplines of the built environment industry, flexible programme schedules were developed by having things such as evening or recorded classes. DIGITWIN4CIEU created a European Centre of Excellence, which it uses as the main platform to interact with SMEs. It serves as a hub for innovative research, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing, bringing together experts from academia, industry, and government. Continuous generation of technical content: This was done to impact the mindset of SMEs managers and highlight the need for adusting to technological advances. Outcomes Students of this masters have learnt how to develop the skills to lead digital transformation teams at their companies. A strong network has been built, with likeminded people exchanging their thoughts on a digital society. Key takeaways A network of contacts to generate impact: Create a technical contents team, that will generate weekly communications of interest to persuade SMEs managers on the need to anticipate the future of the construction sector, in order to be competitive with larger entities. Regular publications on social media: Publish posts on a mix of channels, including LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube etc. to keep stakeholders engaged in the goal of the project. Sign collaboration agreements with SME associations (e.g. ANCI, Tecniberia) to mobilise participation in programme development and deployment. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
Denmarks’s responsive policy approaches for rapid accreditation in vocational and higher education
Best practices Denmarks’s responsive policy approaches for rapid accreditation in vocational and higher education Users: Training providers (public), Training providers (private) | Theme: Accreditation and certification | Action: Framework/methodology | Beneficiaries: Training providers (public), Training providers (private) David Metz https://akkr.dk/ In 2013, the Accreditation Act in Denmark, led to a shift in responsibilities, with the Danish Accreditation Institute taking on Denmark’s Evaluation Institute’s tasks, and the organisation transitioning from programme-based to institutional accreditation.Institutional accreditation process evaluates the quality assurance systems of higher education institutions, focusing on whether they are well-documented and effective in enhancing programme quality. The Danish Accreditation Institute works closely with an expert panel, recruited and trained for each accreditation, to ensure thorough assessments. The process results in an accreditation report that is handed over to the Accreditation Council. Based on the report, the council makes a decision on accreditation. The challenge? Ensuring that higher education institutions maintained high standards of quality and continuous improvement. This required a thorough and consistent accreditation process to assess whether institutions had well-documented and effective quality assurance systems that enhanced programme quality. However, the diversity of institutions and study programmes across Denmark made it difficult to apply a uniform yet adaptable evaluation framework. The institution also had to continuously develop accreditation methods to ensure fairness and alignment with international standards. Our solution Expert Panel for Accreditation: The Danish Accreditation Institution recruited and trained an expert panel for each accreditation process, ensuring a high level of insight into the higher education sector and international quality assurance practices.Institutional & Programme-Level Accreditation Reports: It conducted comprehensive evaluations of institutions and individual study programmes, resulting in detailed accreditation reports that assessed the effectiveness of quality assurance systems.Decision-Making by the Accreditation Council: It submitted accreditation reports to the Accreditation Council, which then made final decisions on whether institutions or programmes met the necessary standards. Outcomes The Danish Accreditation Institute has ensured and developed the quality of higher education programs and institutions across the country. Key takeaways Balancing Documentation & Internal Quality Assurance: Accreditation processes must balance external documentation requirements with the need for effective internal quality assurance systems. Defining When a Programme is Considered “New”: Establish clear guidelines on when a study programme qualifies as “new” to avoid unnecessary re-evaluations of slightly modified programmes. Selecting the Right Accreditation Format: Identify the most beneficial and cost-effective accreditation format for different types of institutions so that each context is appropriately evaluated. Encouraging self evaluationst: Encourage training providers to conduct self-evaluations with external expert reviews.Implementing Student Performance Monitoring: Implement comprehensive tracking of student academic progress using statistical analysis to provide insights into programme effectiveness and institutional quality. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
Incorporating automated tools and analysis in master’s programme design
Best practices Incorporating automated tools and analysis in master’s programme design Users: Training providers (public) | Theme: Skills Data | Action: Framework / Methodology | Beneficiaries: Training providers (public) Simona Ramanauskaite https://digitalmerit.eu/ MERIT is developing master’s degrees and short-term with the participation of NGOs, non-profits, research organisations, companies and SMEs. These are delivered by technical universities across Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Italy and Spain.Courses in domains such as AI, cybersecurity and IoT become quickly outdated and projects like MERIT need resilient methods for easily building new content. Establishing an intangible infrastructure which allows for this is key to the project’s sustainability. The challenge? MERIT had to strike a balance between specialisation and flexibility to ensure it meets both national market demands and student preferences. It should be adaptable to evolving industry needs while maintaining a structured curriculum that provides essential digital competencies. Designing courses based on arbitrary data and anecdotal knowledge would pose risks to the programme’s attractiveness and market match. Additionally, performing manual analysis of available data and indications for each new course would have been time consuming and inefficient. Our solution The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes The Fit4internet platform offers a structured and more accessible way for employers and educators to quickly assess and understand an individual’s digital competencies. Individuals are more motivated to enhance their digital skills due to the portfolio being a helpful resource for them to stand out amongst others. Key takeaways Follow the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methodology to integrate global perspectives while ensuring consistency in the programme structure. COIL fosters international collaboration by connecting students, educators, and industry professionals from different countries through virtual exchange, enriching the learning experience with diverse insights and cross-border expertise. Select and implement the most effective distance communication technologies to optimise the teaching mode between in-person and online delivery. This includes evaluating virtual classrooms, hybrid learning models, and digital collaboration tools to ensure seamless interaction, engagement, and accessibility while maintaining the programme’s academic quality and learning objectives. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
Industry-oriented hackathon to drive SME involvement in master programme design
Best practices Industry-oriented hackathon to drive SME involvement in master programme design Users: Training providers (public), Industry, SMEs | Theme: Industry engagement | Action: Stakeholder collaboration | Beneficiaries: Learners (STEM background), Learners (non-STEM background, Labour force (employed), Labour force (unemployed) Simona Ramanauskaite https://digitalmerit.eu/merithon/ MERIT is developing master’s degrees and short-term courses in AI, cybersecurity and IoT, with the participation of NGOs, non-profits, research organisations, companies and SMEs. These are delivered by technical universities across Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Italy and Spain. Having consistent, hands-on engagement from industry is fundamental to the project’s operational model and objectives. The challenge? A key challenge in the MERIT project was accurately identifying potential industry collaboration opportunities. As many study programmes were still in development by the time the project had to initiate outreach, persuading companies to comit in the initiative proved challenging.SMEs often faced limited human and time resources, making it difficult for them to participate in surveys, provide input for curriculum design, or test different concepts.Additionally, study programme flexibility was constrained by national accreditation requirements, limiting the ability to tailor courses to SMEs’ needs. Our solution MERIThon: The project created the annual MERIThon event, where SMEs proposed challenges, mentored participants, and explored innovative solutions relevant to their business needs. This initiative provided SMEs with a low-commitment way to engage with the programme while benefiting from fresh ideas. Established SME-University Partnerships: They Developed collaborations between SMEs and study programmes, leading to joint activities such as guest lectures, employee recruitment, internships, and research projects. Outcomes The design of the courses around real market needs and with direct industry engagement, has made the programmes highly attractive. 1,000 participants have been trained through the initiative. Key takeaways Introductory Meetings with Leading Enterprises: Regularly organise meetings between SMEs and large enterprises to highlight the benefits of collaboration and encourage SME participation. Engaging SMEs through Personal Contacts & EDIHs: Strengthen engagement by reaching out to SMEs via personal networks and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs),developing trust and participation. Step-by-Step Programme Development: Implement an approach where the study programme is broken down into phases and targeted feedback is gathered at each stage to ensure SME needs are fulfilled. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
Framework for competency-based evaluation of students in higher education
Best practices Framework for competency-based evaluation of students in higher education Users: Training providers (Public) | Theme: Skills data | Action: Education programmes/ courses | Beneficiaries: Training providers (Private), Training providers (Public) Simona Ramanauskaite https://digitalmerit.eu/ Designing content in higher education is often associated with a lack of agility. Universities create fixed curricula and following rigid schedules, which do not match market dynamics, but rather limit their adaptability to rapidly evolving digital skills requirements MERIT has the task of creating an educational ecosystem, spanning across Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Italy and Spain to train digital specialists and improve the evaluation of different students or courses by matching study programmes to the skills produced. The challenge? MERIT was faced with a lack of standardised frameworks and common terminology for defining digital skill levels and competencies.This made it difficult to compare and analyse study programmes across different countries and institutions, hindering a reliable programme-skills mapping.Addressing these issues was essential to ensuring a structured and comparable approach to digital skills education. Our solution MERIT implemented a continuous and competency-oriented student and study programme analysis, which is not commonly applied in higher education.It established its own comprehensive framework for advanced digital skills and supporting competencies, which ensured a structured approach to skills evaluation and programme alignment.It implemented new training and assessment methodologies focused on competency development, covering both technical and soft skills relevant to industry needs.It developed tools for continuous analysis and monitoring of student progress and study programmes, based on a taxonomy of topics and their relationships. This facilitated the cross-country comparison and standardisation.Lastly, it created a structured mapping system that aligned educational programmes with key competency areas, ensuring that skill levels and topics are consistently classified across institutions. Outcomes Merit has now trained over 1,000 people with the implementation of their continuous and competency based approach to higher level education. They have also partnered up with two academic entities and have two agreements in place for collaboration on Master’s degree thesis’. Key takeaways Multi-Source Skills Analysis is Essential: The most effective evaluation method which combines multiple data sources, including SME needs, research trends, and summarised reports, to accurately assess hard and soft skills. Skills Mapping Should Align with Institutional Priorities: Competency frameworks should be adaptable to each partner university’s focus areas, ensuring alignment with local academic and industry requirements. Developing a Detailed Topic Hierarchy is Crucial: Establishing a well-structured and comprehensive skills taxonomy is key to ensuring comparability and adaptability in digital education programmes. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.