UNESCO IITE invites higher education representatives from open and distance learning (ODL) institutions and campus-based universities to join the webinar “Recognition and Validation of Learning in Higher Education: Institutional Approaches and Emerging Practices in the Era of AI and Digital Technologies”. The event intends to discuss institutional strategies and practices for recognizing and validating diverse learning pathways, examine evolving trends and explore the role of technologies.
Date: 26 November 2026
Time: 10:00 CET (Paris time)
Format: Online via Zoom
Duration: 90 minutes
Working language: English
We kindly invite you to register for the webinar using the link.
Tentative Agenda
Opening and welcome remarks
Keynote presentations
- Ms. Wendy Palmer, Director, Lifelong Learning Practice, Australia
- Prof. Dr. Noor Raihan Ab Hamid, Vice-Chancellor, Asia e University, Malaysia
- Prof. Rupert Ward, Professor of Learning Innovation, Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom
- Dr. Aysun Güneş, Lecturer, Anadolu University, Türkiye
- Mrs. Rubina D. Rampersad, Senior Educational Technologist, Centre for Innovative and Lifelong Learning, University of Mauritius, Mauritius
- Ms. Eiman Elmasry, Quality Assurance, Data and Analytics Officer, International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO)
Participant reflection and discussion
Key takeaways and closing remarks
Moderator: Mr. Andreas Hörfurter, Founder, Competence Works, Austria
Explore the speakers’ profiles to learn more about their professional backgrounds and areas of expertise.
Objective
The webinar aims to bring together higher education stakeholders from open and distance learning (ODL) institutions and conventional universities, including educators, learning designers, educational technologists, administrators and other practitioners, from different countries and regions to discuss how the recognition and validation of learning are evolving in the era of AI and digital technologies.
Key questions to be addressed
- How are recognition and validation systems evolving to encompass formal, non-formal and informal learning throughout life?
- How are higher education institutions and other education and training providers adapting their strategies and practices to recognize and validate diverse learning pathways, while safeguarding academic standards, ensuring quality, and promoting flexibility and equal opportunities?
- How can digital credentials be designed, verified and recognized to strengthen connections between education and employment systems?
- How can digital credentials support the continued engagement of learners beyond the completion of a course or programme?
Background
The rapid development and widespread adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping higher education and transforming approaches to the recognition and validation of learning. Knowledge, skills and competences are developed through formal, non-formal and informal learning in a variety of settings and at different stages of life. Recognition and validation of learning, regardless of where, how or when it is acquired, are essential to facilitating access to further education, supporting learners’ academic progression and professional development, and promoting lifelong learning.
Alongside traditional qualifications, higher education institutions are developing micro-credentials and issuing credentials in digital formats, including digital badges, to document and attest to specific learning outcomes and competences. The adoption of open standards and interoperable formats can facilitate the authentication, portability and exchange of such credentials, supporting their use and recognition across institutional, educational and professional contexts.
The growing use of micro-credentials and other forms of digital credentials raises questions about established approaches to qualifications, the recognition of learning and the relationship between higher education and the labour market. These include questions about the comparability of learning outcomes, the relationship between micro-credentials and formal qualifications, the coherence of qualifications frameworks, and the conditions under which learning acquired through different pathways can be recognised and valued. AI can support institutions in assessing whether learning outcomes and competences acquired through education and work experience meet programme requirements. However, its application also raises questions about transparency, reliability, algorithmic bias and accountability. These considerations highlight the importance of assessment methods, clearly defined criteria, relevant evidence, quality assurance arrangements and institutional trust in recognition practices.
ODL universities have contributed significantly to widening access to higher education by reaching learners from diverse social, geographical, economic and educational backgrounds. Their experience in delivering education at a distance and integrating digital technologies offers valuable insights into institutional approaches to the recognition and validation of learning. Moreover, their established practices in accommodating different learner profiles and enabling individuals to combine studies with employment and other life commitments provide an important perspective on designing recognition processes that take account of learning acquired in different contexts and support flexible pathways for access and progression.
The webinar “Recognition and Validation of Learning in Higher Education: Institutional Approaches and Emerging Practices in the Era of AI and Digital Technologies” is part of a webinar series organized within the project “Promoting ICT Capacity Building and Open Education in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies” implemented jointly by UNESCO IITE and Shanghai Open University.
To register for the webinar, kindly follow the link.