Microcredentials Spark Innovation at INNlocal 2025
Co-Designing Skills for the Future: Microcredentials Workshop Sets the Tone for INNlocal Conference.
The II European (Local) Public Innovation Conference opened on September 16, 2025, at the Silesian University in Opava with a workshop fully dedicated to microcredentials.
The session was led by Cláudia S. Costa, Inês Barbedo, and Ana Gonçalves from the Bragança Polytechnic University (Portugal) and presented the INNlocal project’s vision of creating innovative and flexible learning opportunities tailored to the evolving needs of local public administrations.
At the heart of the workshop were the four microcredentials already designed within the project, each addressing a crucial dimension of local governance: Innovation in Local Public Administration, focusing on leadership, creativity, and digital transition; Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Local Public Policies, aimed at overcoming barriers and strengthening collaboration; Citizen Participation in Local Public Policies, enhancing trust, transparency, and civic engagement; and Environmental Sustainability in Local Public Policies, promoting long-term planning and collective responsibility.
Through an interactive and collaborative format, participants were invited to identify real challenges from their municipalities, reflect on their underlying causes, and consider how innovation-driven approaches could contribute to more effective solutions. The hands-on activities fostered both knowledge sharing and co-creation, embodying the INNlocal project’s mission to bridge academic research with the practical realities of local governance.
