Open Badges as digital micro-credentials for migrant academics in the qualification program BeuthBonus, IQ Netzwerk Berlin

1. Open Badges for
Migrant Academics
Prof. Dr. Ilona Buchem
Twitter: @mediendidaktik
Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin
Professor for Digital Media & Diversity
International Badges Day / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0

2. • Unemployment in Germany is twice as high among people who
have migration background compared to those who do not.
• Many migrants hold professional degrees and valuable skills
and yet have problems finding adequate employment (the
problem of “brain waste” and “precarious working
conditions”)
• There has been a strong need for expert workforce in specialised
fields in Germany and a significant gap between demand and the
unused potential (the problem of “skill shortage”)
Rationale
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0
More information: http://www.netzwerk-iq.de/english-version.html

3. IQ Network
Integration though Qualification
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0
IQ Program: www.netzwerk-iq.de/

4. • Improve employment opportunities for people with migration background
• Ensure that professional qualifications acquired outside Germany lead to
employment appropriate to one’s level of education.
• Provide counselling on credential recognition (Recognition Act of 2012)
including compensatory measures to attain full recognition to improve
integration into the labour market (regulated vs. non-regulated professions).
Aims of the IQ Network
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0

5. Project Credit Points, 2013-2014
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Project website: creditpoints.beuth-hochschule.de
• 25 participants
• 50% female/male
• 12 countries
• 20 STEM degrees
• 50% employment
attainment at program
end (adequate to the
degree) + later positive
career changes

6. Project BeuthBonus, 2015-2018
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Project website: beuthbonus.beuth-hochschule.de
• 40 participants p.a.
• 50% female/male
• STEM degrees
• IT-related careers
12 Nov 2015
Kick-off with first
7 participants from
e.g. Greece, Syria,
Afghanistan, Kenya.
Goals:

7. BeuthBonus - Advisory Board
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0
• help understand labor market /
employer requirements
• co-define competencies for
employment
• advise and co-design relevant
credentials
• endorsers Open Badges
Organisations from the IT / Digital Business
Goals:
Cooperations, e.g. Berlin public transport company (BVG)

8. Approaches to Open Badges
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-2014
Migrant academics
with technical degrees
2013-2014
Migrant academics
with IT-related degrees
Observe - Explore - Supply
• observe personal development
• explore individual potentials
• award individual badges
Define - Develop - Request
• define employment-relevant skills
• develop skills along defined badges
• request badges and provide evidence
“Badge last” “Badge first”

9. Self-/diagnose instruments
Using ProfilPASS to capture competencies
ProfilPASS is a method (biographical, developmental and holistic approach) and an
instrument (a set of questions for self-reflection and self-assessment accompanied by
expert consulting/coaching on formulation of own goals and professional orientation) to
capture individual competencies from formal, non-formal and informal learning contexts.
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0

10. Digital certificates (2x)
OB infrastructure and PDF as supplement
PDF supplements mark the transition from electronic to digital!
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0

11. Key challenges
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0
internal view external view
How to balance
standardization
(efficiency) with
personalization (quality)
of the badging system?
How to create value
added for badge-earners
when Open Badges are
not recognised by
employers yet?

12. Thanks!
Ilona Buchem
Beuth Hochschule Berlin
@mediendidaktik
buchem@beuth-hochschule.de
International Badges Day / Ilona Buchem / 17-11-2015 / CC BY-SA 3.0