Presentation Panel
Micro-Credentials in Action: Skills, Jobs and the Future of Learning
Date Friday, Dec 5 Time – Room: Köpenick II/III
Micro-credentials are rapidly transforming the connection between education and employment, worldwide. This international panel brings together diverse perspectives, from universities and industry partnerships to open badging initiatives and national frameworks, to show how micro-credentials are moving from pilots to sustainable practice. Speakers will explore governance models, cross-sector collaboration, and strategies for recognition and mobility across contexts. Discover how micro-credentials bridge education and employment, expand opportunities for learners, and strengthen equity and workforce resilience globally.
Gavin Clinch
Head of Online Learning Innovation, Atlantic Technological University (ATU)
Kelvin Bentley
Program Manager, Texas Credentials for the Future, University of Texas System
Dr. Kelvin Bentley has over 25 years of experience serving in various roles as a faculty member, administrator, and consultant within the field of higher education, supporting online learning and other types of academic innovation initiatives. These initiatives have included leading online learning offices and teams and piloting and scaling online tutoring and proctoring in support of online learning programs at 2- and 4-year colleges and universities.
Dr. Bentley currently serves as the University of Texas System's first project manager for Texas Credentials for the Future, a new initiative funded in part by a $1.5 million grant from the Strada Education Foundation, designed to grow and scale access to technical skills for students and alumni across 14 universities and health research institutions. He engages in strategic planning and collaboration with UT System faculty, staff, and administrators across the UT System and partners including Google, Coursera, WorkCred, and Skyepack.
In addition, Dr. Bentley is collaborating with the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) and Google to support a new community of practice that includes faculty, staff, and administrators across 11 community college and university systems designed to help grow and scale their use of Google Career Certificates and AI courses within academic courses and co-curricular pathways.
Nadia Starr
CEO, SAQA
Ms Nadia Starr is the Chief Executive Officer of SAQA. Prior to SAQA, Ms Starr spent 10 years in senior management and non-executive director roles in the public sector, working with education and training policy development, quality assurance, youth skills development, and funding mechanisms. She has previously served as Chief Executive Officer of a high-performing Sector Skills Council.
Ms Starr holds a Bachelor's and a Postgraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and a Master of Education from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits), along with several occupational certifications.
Ms Starr currently serves as an executive director on the Board of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and non-executive director on the National Boards of the Human Resource Development Council of South Africa (HRDC), National Skills Authority (NSA), Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), Council on Higher Education (CHE), Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) as well as non -executive director on the International Boards of the Groningen Declaration Network (GDN) and United States Qualifications Framework (USQF). Ms Starr was also elected to serve as Co-President of the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) Network.
Kristen Franklin
Director of Product, Digital Promise
Kristen Franklin, Director of Product, Credentials,
Kristen Franklin brings over 25 years of adult education experience, ranging from informal learning spaces to undergraduate seminars on rhetoric and communication at Stanford University. At Digital Promise, she is the competency-based assessment framework expert, and directs all Digital Promise Credentialling products, including the robust Micro-credential Platform and open-source badging technology, Badge Engine. Previously, she drove publishing growth at George Lucas Educational Foundation: Edutopia to reach 20+ million readers annually as Managing Editor, and led capacity building and digital communication initiatives at numerous San Francisco Bay Area nonprofits. Kristen holds a Master's from John F. Kennedy University and Bachelors from University of California, Davis. Kristen holds several digital certifications, micro-credentials, and badges that center learner needs and experiences.
From Concept to Coordination: A Research-Informed Strategy for Micro-Credentials at Atlantic Technological University, Gavin Clinch
This session presents ATU’s research-informed and operationally grounded strategy for micro-credentials, developed through a cross-functional task force and aligned with European frameworks. Participants will gain practical tools and governance models to help move beyond pilot projects toward scalable, sustainable, and evidence-based micro-credential implementation.
The New Pathway to Employment: Weaving Industry Certifications into Higher Education, Kelvin Bentley
This session will focus on efforts within the University of Texas System, as well as several community colleges and universities, that are part of a new community of practice on microcredentials, to integrate industry credentials into courses and co-curricular pathways to improve the career readiness of learners.
From Skills to Jobs: The Micro-Credential and Open-Badge Advantage, Kristen Franklin
Open, accessible skill recognition via microcredentials and open-source digital badging is vital for workforce advancement. These tools validate competencies, address industry demands, and break down traditional barriers. Digital Promise, a nonprofit dedicated to shaping learning, tests and scales solutions to expand opportunities. We champion open-source badging for its flexibility and control, developing a solution grounded in equity, learner autonomy, serving all ages, sustainability, and adherence to international digital standards.
Enabling Recognition and Mobility in the South African Context, Nadia Starr
This presentation explores how SAQA, through its NQFMIS, is transforming data into actionable insights, enabling policymakers and policy implementers to track learning pathways, respond to emerging skills demands and improve inclusion into other recognition systems. The presentation will outline current capabilities and future enhancement strategies to make the NQFMIS a more integrated and responsive platform for the future.