Participants emphasized that although the study programs offered by each university may have different learning objectives, they may also share a great deal in common. One goal for 2024 was to organize the materials used in these programs into a unified framework.

This unified framework could:

• combine the different theoretical frameworks used,
• compare the knowledge on display in the classes at the participating universities, 
• discuss the methodologies used for further research,
• illustrate the topic with case studies that come from countries in the network.

In Europe, “micro-credentials” refer to collaborative educational products between universities. These offerings provide continuous education to professionals. While they are shorter than a full course (and thus so far, they cannot be evaluated and credited as one full course), they offer more than the single classes currently available at each of the participating universities.

Micro-credentials are adapted to a fast-changing society.

The short courses leading to micro-credentials enable a targeted acquisition of skills and competences adapted to fast-changing societies and labour markets. They aim to complement, rather than replace, programs leading to traditional qualifications. These training opportunities are offered by a wide variety of public and private providers in response to a demand for more flexible, learner-centred forms of education and training.

However, without common standards ensuring their quality, transparency, cross-border comparability, recognition and portability, micro-credentials cannot realize their full potential. This is why the workshop recommended extending the network of participating universities and seeking collaborations with other universities in the region that also teach similar topics.

To start in 2024, two topics have been selected:

• Sustainability Assessment of Smallholders’ Agricultural Systems in South-East Asia – this covers the topics taught in the recent TALENT Summer Schools in Krabi, Sakon Nakhon, in 2022 and 2023 and the upcoming one in 2024 Satun in Thailand.
• Comparative Land and Agricultural Policies for Sustainability of Perennial Plantations of Smallholders in South-East Asia.

On each of these two topics, the participants will now pool their existing teaching resources, build a joint synopsis and prepare joint materials to be used, with the goal of testing these in 2024-2025, second semester.