FAQ
FAQ Category
1. Basic Concepts of Micro-credentials
What micro-credentials are, and how they differ from existing qualifications, degrees and digital badges
What are micro-credentials?
A micro-credential is a mechanism for visualizing and certifying specific knowledge, skills or learning outcomes in relatively small units.
Whereas a conventional academic degree shows comprehensive, long-term learning outcomes, micro-credentials can show the outcomes of more flexible and agile learning. They are expected to play an important role in promoting reskilling, recurrent education and lifelong learning.
How do micro-credentials differ from existing qualifications and certificates?
Micro-credentials are not simply ranked as better or worse than existing qualifications and certificates.
Rather, their distinctive feature is that, in addition to the credibility of the issuer, they can show in finer detail what was learned and what abilities were acquired. As links with recruitment, placement, capacity development and promotion advance, their value is expected to become clearer.
Are micro-credentials the same as digital badges?
No, they are different. Micro-credentials are a framework for organizing the units in which learning outcomes are defined, the levels at which they are set, which parties assure them, and how they are used in society.
Digital badges and similar tools are one information technology for recording and presenting such certification.
Does this mean creating a new qualification system?
No. This is not about establishing a new national qualification system. It is about considering a common framework that organizes the outcomes of existing education and training in a learner-centered way and makes them easier to use in society.
2. The Role of JMICRO
What JMICRO does, and how far its involvement extends
What role does JMICRO play?
JMICRO is responsible for building the foundation to enhance the reliability, compatibility and social use of micro-credentials in Japan.
Specifically, it develops and disseminates specifications and standards, builds an external recognition scheme, promotes the visualization and circulation of learning outcomes, and advances policy recommendations and international cooperation. Working with universities, companies and related organizations, it aims to develop a scheme that is accepted in society.
Does JMICRO evaluate learning outcomes itself?
Rather than directly judging the outcomes of individual learners, JMICRO focuses on confirming that micro-credentials are designed and operated in line with common standards and principles.
For universities, consistency with existing quality assurance systems is sought; for private educational institutions and various organizations, an external recognition scheme is to be established as needed.
Are technologies within the scope of JMICRO's activities?
Yes, they are.
However, JMICRO itself does not operate online education platforms or issue digital badges directly. We are responsible for standardizing educational content and learning outcomes, and for the design and collaboration framework for connecting them with digital certification. Actual issuance and technical operation are expected to be carried out in cooperation with educational institutions, companies and relevant issuing providers.
3. Quality Assurance and Recognition Review
Quality assurance of issuers, including universities and companies, and the approach to recognition review
How is the quality of micro-credentials assured at universities?
Universities already have systems such as internal quality assurance and certified evaluation and accreditation. For micro-credentials, too, we therefore start from these existing quality assurance frameworks.
On that basis, it is important to make micro-credentials issued across universities and institutions comparable and connectable under certain common criteria. JMICRO supports the development of standards and consistency-checking mechanisms for this purpose.
Are the framework and the recognition review scheme already in place?
The first version of the framework has already been published, and a degree of standardization has advanced through the joint working group and other activities.
In actual operation, however, continuous improvement and concrete development are needed on how to describe learning outcomes, assessment methods, mapping to skills standards, updates to technical specifications and the establishment of an external recognition scheme.
We are now at the stage of developing a more usable scheme through practice and discussion.
If companies issue them, can quality really be assured?
For micro-credentials, regardless of who the issuer is, it is important to clarify how learning outcomes are defined, how they are assessed, and how quality is assured.
Higher education institutions undergo institutional and program accreditation by external bodies in addition to internal quality assurance.
Quality assurance is especially important when a company’s educational program is offered as a micro-credential. ABET, the quality assurance body in the United States, has begun accrediting companies’ micro-credentials, and JMICRO plans to conduct similar evaluation and accreditation.
4. Social Use and Links to the Labor Market
How micro-credentials are understood and used by companies, industry and society
How can companies and society judge the reliability of issued micro-credentials?
What matters is to present the issuing institution and the content of the learning outcomes in a form that third parties can easily verify.
JMICRO places importance on developing a registry and visualization mechanisms so that the credibility of issuers, and the knowledge, skills and abilities a credential certifies, can be referenced easily. Such a foundation is expected to help companies and society understand the content and make use of it more readily.
How will the value of micro-credentials be communicated to companies and industry?
To promote use in society, we believe it is important not to confine the discussion to the education sector but to keep up a dialogue with companies and industry.
It is necessary to show clearly what kind of learning leads to what kind of abilities and roles, so that micro-credentials can be used in human resource development, recruitment, placement and skills assessment. JMICRO regards industry-academia collaboration and awareness-raising as one of its important roles.
What is important for making micro-credentials valuable in the labor market?
First, it is important to clarify what kind of human resources society and industry need.
Then the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies must be organized, and learning programs and micro-credentials designed accordingly. We believe it is important to shape micro-credentials in collaboration not only with educational institutions but also with companies, industry associations and professional bodies.
5. Significance for Learners
How micro-credentials help diverse learning and career development
Can micro-credentials support the learning of diverse learners?
Yes. A major feature of micro-credentials is that learning can be accumulated in relatively small units.
They can therefore be effective for people who want to balance learning with work or child-rearing, who want to start learning in a small way, or who want to show their learning outcomes in ways other than conventional, all-at-once degree acquisition. They are also significant for making visible learning before degree attainment and diverse learning histories.
How will learning pathways be shown?
Going forward, in addition to relatively clear learning pathways as in existing higher education, a mechanism is needed that can indicate which learning to pursue next, even for skills-based learning with diverse sequences and combinations.
In the discussion at the inaugural ceremony, the direction presented was to advance the mapping of learning outcomes, particularly for skills-based learning, with collaboration with AI and other professional bodies in view, and to study a mechanism that can show next learning steps in a database-like manner.
6. Skills Organization, Registry and Visualization Infrastructure
How to organize learning outcomes and skills so that they can be searched and referenced
How will skills organization and the registry be developed?
Two approaches to organizing skills and learning outcomes are being considered: defining a rigorous classification scheme in advance, and organizing and using diverse data as it accumulates.
A major challenge is how to link the learning outcomes presented by educational institutions with the skills sought by companies and industry. Going forward, systematic visualization will be advanced through mapping to qualifications frameworks and skills standards, accumulation of learning records, and development of an infrastructure that is easy to search and reference.
7. Relationship with Existing Systems
Consistency with domestic policies and existing education systems
How does this relate to existing systems of the Ministry of Education (MEXT), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and others?
JMICRO’s activities are not intended to create a new system in opposition to existing ones.
Rather, we believe it is important to proceed in harmony with the efforts of relevant ministries, such as the credit system and certificate programs of universities, the digitization of learning records, and securing international compatibility. We expect it to develop through continued dialogue among government, industry and academia on institutional, technical and international aspects.
Aren't the university certificate program (Rishu Shomei) and the Business Practical Skills Development Program (BP) enough?
Certificate programs and BP are important systems that support adult learners’ recurrent education, and their significance does not change.
At the same time, there is the issue that their learning outcomes are not sufficiently used in recruitment and improvement of treatment.
Micro-credentials are a way of thinking that organizes the learning outcomes of existing systems in a form that society can easily understand and evaluate, and use. They also make those outcomes easier to understand and evaluate internationally, not just domestically.
8. International Compatibility and Cooperation
International consistency and cross-border usability
You say micro-credentials should be internationally valid, but wouldn't a uniquely Japanese approach be fine?
As the international mobility of people and cross-border learning advance, it is important to be able to explain learning outcomes internationally.
Micro-credentials are a framework for which common understanding is being advanced internationally by UNESCO and others, and we believe it is worthwhile to consider them in order to position Japan’s educational outcomes correctly in the world.
Do you have other questions?
Please contact us through the Contact page.
We will reply by email or add the answer to this page.
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Established on October 23, 2025, JMICRO aims to enhance the credibility, transparency, and utility of micro-credentials in Japan, informed by domestic and international developments in the field. Micro-credentials are a system for learning in smaller units than a traditional degree and certifying those achievements.