PR8 – Credentialing Climate Competence in Higher Education
PR8 presents a strategic framework for implementing open badges and the OP4C digital passport within higher education institutions (HEIs).
This policy paper explores how universities can formally recognize climate-related learning, civic engagement, and sustainability competences that often occur beyond traditional coursework.
The proposed system offers a scalable and verifiable model aligned with major EU frameworks, including GreenComp, DigComp, and the Europass Digital Credentials Infrastructure (EDCI).
Through the OP4C platform, students can earn digital Open Badges for sustainability-focused academic, co-curricular, and community activities. These badges are portable, evidence-based, and compiled in a personal OpenPass4Climate passport, forming a transparent record of each learner’s sustainability journey.
PR8 also identifies key challenges and enablers in adopting open badges within universities—such as the need for institutional support, data protection compliance, integration with curricula, and prevention of “badge inflation.” It offers multi-level policy recommendations to strengthen badge credibility and scale adoption:
– Local level: Support institutional badge strategies, staff training, and cross-functional implementation teams.
– National level: Fund pilot projects, develop quality assurance models, and link badges to national qualification frameworks.
– European level: Align badge ecosystems with EU frameworks and promote interoperability across the European Education Area.
The report concludes with a practical roadmap to help HEIs implement OP4C systems through short-, medium-, and long-term phases, accompanied by a badge quality rubric to ensure transparency, reliability, and educational value.
