Abstract:

Micro-credentials have emerged as a flexible and scalable approach to recognising short, skills-oriented learning achievements in higher education. However, current micro-credentialing practices remain fragmented, institution-dependent, and vulnerable to issues of authenticity, interoperability, and long-term verification. Recent advances in blockchain technology offer a secure and learner-centred alternative for issuing, validating, and sharing academic evidence. This paper presents a combined conceptual and technical contribution towards blockchain-based micro-credentialing in higher education by integrating findings from a systematic literature review (2016–2022) with insights from a functional blockchain prototype for academic credential verification.

The literature review identifies key requirements for a robust micro-credentialing ecosystem, including decentralized storage, tamper-proof verification, transparent governance, and support for learner-controlled credential portfolios. It also highlights research gaps, particularly the lack of end-to-end prototypes, limited interoperability between institutions, and minimal integration of intelligent services for personalised learning pathways.

To address these gaps, the paper analyses a hybrid blockchain prototype implemented in Python and Docker, featuring distributed nodes, multi-authority signatures, QR-based credential verification, and Byzantine-fault-tolerant consensus. Performance results demonstrate low-latency operations, efficient block propagation, and high reliability in a multi-node environment.

Based on these insights, the paper proposes a reference framework for a secure, transparent, and scalable blockchain-based micro-credentialing system suitable for cross-institutional adoption.

Keywords:

Micro-credentials, Blockchain, Higher Education, Credential Verification.