Ateneo participates in workshop for developing micro-credential courses under Erasmus+ Programme's MICROCASA

As part of the Erasmus+ Programme's "MICRO-credentials for life-long learning and employability: Building capacities for developing agile educational interventions in Southeast Asian Universities," or MICROCASA project, Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), and University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman conducted a planning workshop from 2 to 3 May 2023 at the UPOU's Centennial Center for Digital Learning, in Los Baños, Laguna.

Ateneo's Dr Dennis Batangan, Dr Marichi Guevara, and Mr Jacob Carpio joined the workshop alongside UP Diliman's Dr Peter Sy, Ms Rica Ramirez, and Ms. Therese Litonjua; and UPOU's Dr Joane Serrano, Dr Myra Oruga, and Ms Janelle Ebron.

In the workshop, Ateneo, UP Diliman and UPOU took the lead in planning various activities including capacity building of faculty, designing prototype micro-credential courses, developing infrastructure, and other aspects related to the development of micro-credentials.

A highlight of the workshop was the initial design of three micro-credential courses that will target technical groups, vocational groups, health workers, agricultural workers, and development workers. These courses will be piloted by the Continuing Education Program of UPOU's Faculty of Management and Development Studies.

Started on 1 March 2023, MICROCASA is the first international project of Erasmus+ aimed at sharing European experiences and building institutional capacities in Southeast Asia. It seeks to co-create, promote and deliver short competence-oriented educational units leading to micro-credentials with the goal of solving various economic and social problems.

The MICROCASA consortium is composed of 11 partners, including 9 universities—3 European and 6 Southeast Asian. These include Ateneo de Manila University, UP Diliman, the Universität des Saarlandes, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, L'Università Europea di Roma, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universitas Brawijaya, and Universitas Sam Ratulangi Manado.