The Finnish MASTERY Kick-start Working Group met three times between 8 and 17 September 2026 to develop, validate and prioritise practical recommendations for integrating micro-credentials into Finland’s education and training system.
As part of the activities of Work Package 5, the Finnish MASTERY Kick-start Working Group held three workshops on 8, 10 and 17 September 2026. The sessions brought together relevant stakeholders to discuss how micro-credentials could become an important and flexible component of Finland’s education and training architecture.
The workshops followed a progressive co-creation process. The first session focused on identifying the main barriers and challenges affecting the uptake of micro-credentials in Finland and establishing the national priorities that should guide their implementation.
Building on this initial assessment, the second workshop examined the roles and responsibilities of the main stakeholders and supported the development of implementation pathways adapted to Finland’s institutional and educational context. Participants worked towards concrete proposals that could respond to national skills needs while remaining realistic and feasible.
During the third workshop, the proposals were reviewed, validated and prioritised according to their relevance, potential impact and feasibility. Particular attention was given to active labour market policies and green transition strategies, as well as to the contribution that micro-credentials could make to flexible learning, upskilling and reskilling.
The discussions resulted in several practical VET and policy recommendations intended to support the wider implementation of micro-credentials in Finland. These recommendations emphasised the importance of:
- Addressing the main barriers limiting the awareness, recognition and uptake of micro-credentials.
- Clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of education providers, public authorities, employers and other relevant stakeholders.
- Developing implementation pathways that reflect Finland’s education system and labour-market context.
- Connecting micro-credentials with active labour market measures and green transition priorities.
- Ensuring that the proposed actions are concrete, feasible and capable of being implemented and scaled.
The workshops confirmed the potential of micro-credentials to complement existing education and training provision by offering shorter, more flexible learning opportunities that respond to emerging skills needs. At the same time, their successful implementation will require effective cooperation between education providers, policymakers, employers and labour-market actors.
The outcomes of the Finnish workshops will feed directly into the MASTERY VET and policy recommendations. Together with the results obtained through the other national and European workshops, they will contribute to defining the conditions needed for the wider implementation and uptake of high-quality green micro-credentials across Europe.