Awero team
Seminar for wider badge recognition: diverse minds, a shared purpose

17 Mar, 07:22
The two-day Cities of Learning Seminar, held in Rotterdam in January 2025 was a key component of the Quality Label for Badge Recognition project. Recognising the growing importance of badges in non-formal learning settings, the seminar aimed to bring together experts and practitioners to address the need for enhanced knowledge and collaboration within the field.
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Why this Seminar?
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While badges offer a powerful tool for recognising and validating learning, their effective implementation requires a deep understanding of best practices, quality assurance, and intersectoral collaboration. The increasing diversity of badge systems across organisations, along with the varying levels of expertise among practitioners, highlights a crucial need for a platform for knowledge sharing and skill development.
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This seminar aimed to:
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Identify key challenges and opportunities: Explore the hurdles and potential benefits of increasing the use of badges for recognising learning across different countries.
Review the European Strategy: Assess and plan the next steps for the European strategy that promotes the use of badges to recognise learning.
Discuss the roles of key players: Examine how policymakers, schools and universities, and employers can work together to increase the acceptance and use of Open Badges issued and earned in the non-formal education field.
Develop expert recommendations: Gather advice from leading experts on how to ensure high quality in the processes used to create and award badges, including how the "Quality Label for badge recognition" can be improved.
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The seminar kicked off with a visit to Pluspunt, a Rotterdam-based organisation that promotes social interaction and community spirit.
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Day 1: Introductions, badge recognition, and collaborative exploration
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The first day began with a warm welcome and introductions, allowing participants to get acquainted. This was followed by an informative session about Rotterdam Library, the location the seminar took place. Next, attendees were introduced to badge-based recognition and the findings of research on "Badge perception" by Asoc. Prof. Dr. Ingrida Lescauskiene of Vilnius Tech University. The day continued with a review of the European Strategy for badge-based recognition, using a thought-provoking approach inspired by Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats.
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The remainder of the day focused on three key aims:
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Aim 1: Increasing adoption of open badges in NFE and youth work - Presented by Dalila Fernandes.
Aim 2: Promotion of badges by participation in events across sectors - Presented by Ines Gregorič, HR expert.
Aim 3: Seeking endorsements from important stakeholders - Presented by Jan Lai.
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Followed by a dialogue on the Dutch use case of badging and validation of learning, featuring Sandra Zoomers and Ruud Duvekot.
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The day wrapped up with a session for collecting and mapping the challenges and opportunities associated with expanding badge-based recognition. Participants debriefed and presented the results from the previous session, fostering a collaborative environment.
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Day 2: Guest insights, actionable strategies, and celebrating quality
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Day two commenced with a guest appearance by Roy Russchen, Strategic Advisor and Team Leader at the Municipality of Rotterdam. Roy provided valuable insights on how to translate recommendations into concrete actions.
The day continued with a focus on achieving wider badge-based recognition. Interactive sessions explored the journey from ideas to actions, emphasising the importance of intersectoral collaboration. Discussions delved into the crucial aspects of quality: how to ensure it, how to sustain it, and how to move forward as a field.
Participants then engaged in group work, tackling the question of how different sectors can drive the use and recognition of open badges. This mixed-group activity was designed by the trainers to spark creative problem-solving.
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The afternoon saw participants filling out recommendation templates, gathering expert input for a comprehensive summary. This was followed by a session summarising the recommendations and prioritising them, including aims, target groups, actions, and future steps.
The day concluded with a celebration of those who had already received the Quality Label, acknowledging their achievements in badge recognition. The seminar wrapped up with an evaluation session, where participants shared their key takeaways and highlights.
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Key Insights and Takeaways
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The Cities of Learning Seminar provided a rich learning experience for all participants. Here are some of the key takeaways:
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Diversity of perspectives: The mix of participants, including policymakers, educators, and youth organisations, brought a wealth of perspectives to the table. This diversity fostered a spirit of collaboration and a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities surrounding wider badge recognition.
Value and benefits of Badges: The seminar highlighted the growing recognition of the value and benefits of badges. Participants acknowledged the potential of badges to enhance learning, skills development, and employability.
Need for deeper understanding: While the value of badges is increasingly recognised, there is still a need for a deeper understanding of how badges work best and why they are important. This understanding is crucial for maximising the effectiveness and impact of badges.
The Badge Ecosystem: Discussions highlighted the importance of creating an ecosystem where badges are integrated into a larger system encompassing education, work-and-learn projects, and youth work. While the concept of this ecosystem was acknowledged, further development is needed to create a clear roadmap for its implementation.
Government as a challenge: The seminar identified governments as a potential hurdle to wider badge recognition. Many governments are not yet prepared to adopt open recognition systems, often due to a lack of understanding of the purpose and terminology. Addressing this knowledge gap is essential for smoother collaboration and progress.
Importance of clear communication: The seminar underscored the need for clear communication about the value proposition of open recognition. Effectively explaining why open recognition matters and how it can address challenges in education, employment, and skills development is crucial for moving forward.
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The Cities of Learning Seminar provided a valuable platform for exploring the potential of wider badge recognition and contributed to a more impactful learning ecosystem for all. The collaborative spirit and diverse perspectives of the participants promise to drive meaningful progress in this important field.
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This event was co-financed by the Erasmus+ Youth programme of the European Union.
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Badgecraft găzduiește această platformă și o dezvoltă împreună cu organizații educaționale de top. Programul Uniunii Europene Erasmus+ a acordat cofinanțare pentru construirea primei versiuni a acestei platforme. Contactați support@badgecraft.eu.
Seminar for wider badge recognition: diverse minds, a shared purpose

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