Here is next article of our polish Cordinator FERI Foundarion published on Epale Platform – below you can read it in English!
Learning without age limits: How microcredentials are transforming senior education in Europe
Microcredentials and education on the road are transforming senior education in Europe by combining experience, relationships and competence development at every stage of life.
Renata Fijałkowska, Dr Aleksandra Ścibich-Kopiec
The European context: senior education in numbers
Adult education in Europe is currently facing one of the greatest challenges in its history: how to effectively include older people in the process of lifelong learning. In this context, traditional educational models are proving insufficient, while flexible, experience-based forms of learning are becoming increasingly important. One of the most promising tools in this area is microcredentials.
At the same time, Europe is at a crucial moment of demographic and educational transformation. According to Eurostat data, in 2023 around 11.9% of adults aged 25–64 participated in education or training. However, in the 55–74 age group, this figure often falls below 5–6%, which points to a clear gap in access to lifelong learning. At the same time, forecasts show that by 2030 more than 20% of the EU population will be aged 65 or over, which significantly increases the importance of education in later life.
CEDEFOP reports emphasise that the low participation of seniors in education is one of the main risk factors for exclusion, especially in the area of digital and social competences. At the same time, the European Commission indicates that more than 40% of adult Europeans lack basic digital skills, which further deepens educational inequalities.
In response to these challenges, the European Union is developing a lifelong learning policy aimed at increasing adult participation in education to at least 60% annually by 2030. Flexible, short and accessible forms of learning, such as microcredentials, are expected to play a key role in this process, enabling the acquisition of competences in ways adapted to the needs and possibilities of different groups, including seniors.
What are microcredentials?
According to the European Commission’s approach, microcredentials are short forms of certification that confirm specific learning outcomes and can be acquired flexibly in different contexts. Their key feature is a focus on a single competence or a set of skills, allowing learners to achieve visible results quickly.
In practice, this means that participants do not need to complete an entire course in order to obtain recognition of their competences; they can gain it gradually. Microcredentials can also be “stacked” into broader development pathways, making it possible to build individual learning trajectories. In senior education, it is particularly important that they are also accessible in non-formal contexts, for example during workshops, mobility activities or local initiatives.
In the context of Europe’s ageing society, microcredentials are not merely an educational tool; they are becoming a mechanism for systemic change in the way adult learning is understood. Their significance becomes especially clear in work with older people, for whom traditional forms of education often prove inaccessible or inadequate.
Microcredentials and European competence frameworks
The development of microcredentials in Europe is closely linked to key competence frameworks developed by the European Commission. Three of them are particularly important:
- GreenComp – focused on competences related to sustainability, environmental awareness and responsibility towards the environment,
- DigComp – covering digital competences, including the use of technology, online safety and critical thinking,
- LifeComp – concerning personal, social and learning-to-learn competences.
Microcredentials serve as a tool for operationalising these frameworks, making it possible to translate abstract competences into specific actions and learning outcomes. This allows for their real implementation in adult education, including in non-formal contexts.
From this perspective, microcredentials act as a bridge between educational policy and practice. They make it possible to operationalise European competence frameworks by embedding them in concrete educational activities, which is particularly important in adult education, where the effectiveness of learning depends on its practical dimension. In practice, this means that microcredentials become a tool for linking Europe’s strategic educational goals with the real experiences of participants.
Microcredentials in senior education: the education on the road model
The “education on the road” model is an example of a shift in educational paradigm – from teaching based on the transmission of knowledge to learning based on experience, relationships and context. In this approach, microcredentials become a tool that makes it possible to capture and recognise learning outcomes achieved outside traditional educational environments.
- Learning in small steps: genuinely lowering the entry barrier
Microcredentials enable seniors to enter the learning process gradually, without the pressure of long-term commitment. Each module focuses on one competence, allowing for better understanding and assimilation of the material. In practice, this means that a participant can develop, for example, one specific element of digital competence within DigComp rather than having to face an entire course.
During the mobility to Skopje, participants developed competences through concrete activities, such as documenting their experiences or taking part in workshops. A micro-credential could, for example, confirm “basic use of digital tools for documenting experiences,” which fits directly within DigComp. The learning process was natural and adapted to participants’ abilities.
- Recognition of experience: from “I know a lot” to “I have competences”
Microcredentials make it possible to translate seniors’ experience into the language of competences aligned with European frameworks. This creates opportunities for formal recognition of skills developed throughout life. In the context of LifeComp, social competences such as cooperation, empathy and adaptability are especially important.
During the mobility in Skopje, participants worked in intercultural groups, which developed their social competences. Microcredentials could confirm outcomes such as “effective cooperation in an intercultural environment” or “openness to diversity.” Experience thus became visible and measurable.
- Education on the road: experience as the main source of learning
In the education on the road model, direct contact with reality – with culture, environment and people – is of key importance. Microcredentials make it possible to capture the outcomes of such experiences and connect them to concrete competences. This is particularly visible in relation to GreenComp, which emphasises environmental awareness and responsibility.
During activities in Greece, participants engaged in workshops connected with craftsmanship and local materials. Microcredentials could include outcomes such as “conscious use of local resources” or “basic principles of a sustainable approach to creation.” This shows how experience can translate into concrete ecological competences.
- Motivation and active ageing: the mechanism of small successes
Microcredentials support motivation by providing visible learning outcomes. Each completed element strengthens a sense of agency and encourages further action. In the context of LifeComp, competences related to self-regulation, motivation and lifelong learning are particularly important.
During the mobilities, seniors often began with uncertainty, but thanks to successive experiences and the confirmation of competences, they gradually built self-confidence. Microcredentials functioned as a reinforcing system, showing progress and giving participants a sense of achievement. This directly supports the idea of active ageing.
- Flexibility: education adapted to life, not the other way around
Microcredentials make it possible to create individual development pathways, which is especially important in senior education. Participants can choose areas aligned with their interests, such as digital competences (DigComp), social competences (LifeComp) or ecological competences (GreenComp).
During the mobilities, some participants developed artistic competences, others social or ecological ones. Microcredentials made it possible to capture these differences and give them equal educational value. Each participant had a sense of individual development.
- Community and relationships: the social dimension of learning
Senior education has a strong social dimension, which is crucial for counteracting isolation. Microcredentials strengthen this aspect because they create a shared language of competences and achievements. In the context of LifeComp, competences related to cooperation and communication are particularly important.
During the mobility to Skopje, participants took part in shared activities such as workshops, concerts and meetings, which built relationships and a sense of community. Microcredentials could include outcomes such as “social engagement” or “relationship building in a group.” Education thus became not only an individual experience, but also a social one.
The above elements show that microcredentials, combined with the education on the road model, create a coherent system that supports adult learning by integrating cognitive, social and experiential dimensions.
The psychological dimension of microcredentials in senior education – the perspective of diversity in learning and ageing
Understanding the effectiveness of microcredentials in senior education requires going beyond a purely systemic perspective and taking into account the psychological dimension of the learning process. It is at this level that the mechanisms determining engagement, motivation and the sustainability of educational outcomes become visible. This means that designing education for this group requires a flexible and individualised approach that takes such differences into account.
Analysing the use of microcredentials in the education of older people requires consideration of the complex psychological context, particularly the diversity of learning processes and the multidimensional nature of ageing. Contemporary approaches in developmental psychology indicate that later adulthood is not a homogeneous stage of life, but rather encompasses a broad spectrum of developmental trajectories conditioned by both individual and environmental factors. This means that learners in this period differ significantly in terms of cognitive resources, educational experiences, motivation and social competences.
In the context of educational mobilities, such as the activities carried out within the project in various European countries, this diversity becomes visible in the ways participants engage in the learning process. Differences can be observed both in preferred forms of activity and in the pace of acquiring knowledge and strategies for coping with new educational situations. Microcredentials, as a modular and flexible form, make it possible to respond appropriately to these differences by focusing on concrete learning outcomes without the need to standardise educational pathways.
From the perspective of older adults’ cognitive functioning, age-related changes such as a slower speed of information processing or a greater need for repetition are of particular relevance. At the same time, accumulated knowledge and the ability for contextual and reflective thinking are maintained and often even strengthened. Microcredentials respond to these conditions by reducing cognitive load and enabling learning in short, clearly defined units, which supports both the effective assimilation of content and sustained engagement.
An important factor influencing participation in education in later adulthood is previous educational experience, which may be either supportive or limiting. Some individuals hold beliefs about their reduced ability to learn, which can lead them to avoid educational situations. In this context, microcredentials play a strengthening role, enabling the gradual building of a sense of competence through the achievement of short-term, measurable goals. The experience of success in small steps helps rebuild a sense of agency and increases readiness to undertake further developmental activities.
The emotional and social dimension of learning in later adulthood is also indispensable. Participation in educational activities, especially in the context of international mobilities, fosters relationship-building, strengthens the sense of belonging and helps counteract social isolation. Interactions among participants are an important source of support and also enable learning through the exchange of experience and reflection on one’s own functioning.
Diversity in ageing is also reflected in varied motivations for engaging in educational activity. These may include the need to adapt to changing social and technological conditions, as well as the desire for self-realisation, maintaining social activity or improving quality of life. Thanks to their structure, microcredentials make it possible to create individual learning pathways that respond to these diverse needs while also supporting participants’ autonomy.
Consequently, microcredentials should be understood not only as a tool for validating learning outcomes, but also as an important element supporting the psychological processes associated with active ageing. They integrate cognitive, emotional and social aspects, enabling participants not only to develop competences but also to strengthen wellbeing, a sense of meaning and a sense of agency in later adulthood.
Conclusions for educational policy and practice
The analysis of the use of microcredentials in senior education indicates the need for the further development of flexible, experience-based learning models in Europe. In particular, it is important to:
- integrate microcredentials into competence validation systems,
- further develop non-formal education as an equally important area of learning,
- design educational activities that take into account the cognitive and social diversity of older people,
- strengthen the role of educational mobility as a space for learning through experience.
In this context, microcredentials can play a key role in increasing access to education for older people and in building lifelong learning societies. This approach aligns directly with European Union priorities concerning social inclusion, digital transformation and the green transition, pointing towards the future direction of adult education development in Europe.
The model presented here shows that adult education can be effective, accessible and deeply rooted in participants’ real experiences at the same time. Microcredentials are not merely an educational tool. Combined with the education on the road approach, they become a mechanism that redefines the way we understand learning in later adulthood – as a process rooted in experience, relationships and everyday life, accessible to everyone regardless of age.
Project information
- Project: “Education on the road – microcredentials in adult education”
- Lead organisation: Foundation for Education, Development and Innovation (FERI) – Poland
Partners:
- Association “MATA” – North Macedonia
- Baba Husky Oy – Finland
- Green Industry Foundation – Poland
- Associazione Slow Tourism Alto Adige – Italy
