European Digital Credentials for learning (EDCs) are standardised tamperproof electronic documents describing that their owner has certain skills or has achieved certain learning outcomes through formal, non-formal or informal learning context. They can describe:

• activities (e.g., classes attended)
• assessments (e.g., projects)
• achievements (e.g., skills developed),
• professional entitlements (e.g., registration as a medical doctor) and
• qualifications.

EDCs are typically used to qualify for job positions, university placements and more. They are legally equivalent to paper-based certificates in all Members of the European Education Area. In practice, they could be a digital version of your University diploma, course certificate, or any other type of credential.

European Digital Credentials for Learning have many benefits for individuals, employers and organisations.

Individuals:

• can build an online portfolio to track their learning while being in full control of their data

• can easily reuse their credentials to get a job or apply for further training across Europe

• can present and have their credentials verified at any point in their career, even if the institution who issued them closes, or if the data used to create them is lost.

Employers:

• can dramatically reduce the time and cost of verifying credentials and processing job applications

• can better understand the credentials of candidates, especially from other Member States as credentials will be translated into the target language

• can trust tamper-free credentials

Education and training providers:

• can reduce costs for issuing credentials

• can better understand the credentials of learners, especially from other Member States as credentials will be translated into the target language