OPEN BADGES & DIGITAL CREDENTIALS

What are Open Badges and how do they work?

A portable way to recognise and verify skills, learning and achievement.

An Open Badge is a verifiable digital credential that connects an achievement with information about who earned it, who issued it, the criteria required and, where relevant, supporting evidence.

Verifiable Portable Shareable
Open Badge illustrating the digital information contained within a credential
MORE THAN A DIGITAL IMAGE

The badge is visible. The information behind it gives it meaning.

Open Badges combine a visual credential with structured information about the achievement. This can include the recipient, issuing organisation, earning criteria, evidence and the date the credential was issued.

01

Achievement

The skill, competency, course, contribution or accomplishment that the credential represents.

02

Issuer

The organisation responsible for recognising the achievement and issuing the digital credential.

03

Criteria & evidence

What the recipient had to accomplish to earn the badge and, where appropriate, evidence supporting that achievement.

04

Recipient & verification

Information connecting the credential to the person who earned it and allowing its authenticity to be verified.

Information and metadata contained inside an Open Badge
BUILT-IN CONTEXT

A credential that can explain what was actually achieved.

Unlike a simple image or certificate file, an Open Badge can carry structured information that provides context around the achievement and helps others verify its origin.

This makes digital credentials useful across education, professional development, training and other forms of skills recognition.

Learn about the Open Badges standard at 1EdTech →
HOW OPEN BADGES WORK

Earn it. Keep it. Share it.

Open Badges give recipients a digital record of an achievement that can remain useful beyond the course, organisation or programme that originally issued it.

Earning an Open Badge digital credential
01   /   EARN

Recognise an achievement.

Organisations can issue Open Badges for learning, skills, competencies, professional achievements, participation and other accomplishments that deserve formal recognition.

The credential records what was achieved and the criteria required to earn it, giving the badge meaning beyond its visual appearance.


Keeping and storing Open Badge digital credentials
02   /   KEEP

Build a record of achievements.

Recipients can retain their credentials and use compatible platforms or digital wallets to maintain a record of the achievements they have earned.

Because the credential carries structured information with it, its value does not depend on remaining inside the system of the organisation that originally issued it.


Sharing Open Badge credentials online
03   /   SHARE

Put the credential to use.

Open Badges can be presented through websites, digital profiles, portfolios and other online environments when recipients want to demonstrate their skills and achievements.

The person viewing the credential gets more than an image: they can understand what the badge represents, who issued it and the achievement behind it.

WHY OPEN BADGES MATTER

Recognition that can travel with the person who earned it.

Digital credentials can make learning and skills easier to communicate by adding context, evidence and verification to achievements that might otherwise be difficult to demonstrate.

01

Make skills visible

Recognise learning and capabilities that may not appear clearly in traditional qualifications or certificates.

02

Add evidence & context

Show what was achieved, who recognised it and what was required to earn the credential.

03

Support lifelong learning

Credentials can represent achievements gained through education, work, training, volunteering and other learning environments.

04

Give recipients something usable

A digital credential can be retained and presented when applying for learning, professional or other opportunities.

What can Open Badges do for your organisation?

Open Badges can support training, professional development, skills recognition and engagement. Our dedicated guide explores how organisations can put digital credentials into practice.

READY TO USE OPEN BADGES?

Turn skills and achievements into credentials people can verify and share.

Webiwant can help define your badge structure, metadata, visual identity, issuing platform and implementation.

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