20,000 Learners Address Skills Gaps Through MicroCreds Project

Event celebrates MicroCreds positioning of Ireland as an international leader in flexible, accredited lifelong learning

Dublin, 12 February 2026 — More than 20,000 learners across Ireland have addressed critical skills gaps through MicroCreds, a national higher education initiative that has transformed how universities support upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning.

Led by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and delivered in partnership with eight universities, the €14.3 million MicroCreds project has developed over 600 short, accredited micro-credential courses, aligned directly to the needs of learners, employers and the wider economy.

A central feature of the project has been its close engagement with enterprise. Universities worked with employers of all sizes, from SMEs to multinationals, to co-design courses in areas such as digital skills, sustainability, leadership and emerging technologies, ensuring learning provision remained directly relevant to workforce needs.

Speaking at the MicroCreds Capstone Event in Dublin, Paul Johnston, Director General of the Irish Universities Association (IUA), said:

“MicroCreds has shown what is possible when policy, funding and institutional leadership collaborate together on a common mission. The project has enabled universities to respond quickly and collaboratively to skills needs, while building a nationally coherent and trusted approach to accredited micro-credentials. This work has positioned Ireland as an international leader in lifelong learning innovation.”

He added: “As we look ahead, to an ever more complex and challenging world, where a knowledge-driven economy with a highly educated workforce will be ever more crucial, the case for continued and strengthened commitment to upskilling and lifelong learning is clear. Scaling flexible provision will require extensive change to universities’ operating models, as well as a step-change in the wider funding and policy environment.”

MicroCreds was funded by the HEA under the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 3, supported by the National Training Fund, and was designed to create a system-level approach to flexible learning that could be delivered at scale while maintaining quality, consistency and employer trust.

At the event David Corscadden, Acting MicroCreds Project Lead, highlighted the project’s real-world impact:

“The true success of MicroCreds is measured in learner impact. Over 20,000 people have engaged with one or more of the over 600 micro-credentials to upskill, reskill or adapt to change often alongside work and other commitments. Behind that headline number is a major shift in how universities design, deliver and promote flexible learning. MicroCreds has shown what is possible when policy, funding and institutional leadership are aligned. The challenge now is to build on this foundation and to ensure the mechanisms are in place that universities can deliver on the upskilling needs of learners and more importantly that they are empowered and supported to engage with it.”

The project also delivered critical infrastructure to support lifelong learning, including a recognised micro-credentials framework and the MicroCreds.ie platform, which acts as a single, trusted shopfront for accredited short courses.

Speaking about the legacy of the MicroCreds project, Dr Vivienne Patterson, Head of Skills, Engagement and Statistics at Higher Education Authority (HEA) said:

“In 2020 we invested funding allocated from the National Training Fund (NTF) into the MicroCreds collaborative project through the Human Capital Initiative. Through this initiative projects were allowed to take risks and explore new higher education innovations for the benefit of enterprise. The MicroCreds project has delivered its objectives. It has been a key driver in aligning innovation and agility with national strategic objectives, key system objectives for the higher education system, and future skills needs for society and the economy.”

Looking towards the future she added:

“The HEA is delighted to recognise all the MicroCreds project achievements, and we look forward to building on these in the future with the higher education sector. With the transition of MicroCreds.ie to the HEA later this year, and with the continuation of the learner fee subsidy we will continue to incentivise micro-credential learning across the higher education sector and increase the already 20,000 learners impacted by the MicroCreds project.”

As the project concludes, partners emphasised that MicroCreds has moved well beyond proof of concept. Delivery models are established, demand from learners and employers is clear, and universities have demonstrated the capacity to innovate at scale. Sustaining this progress, however, will require continued alignment between skills policy, funding mechanisms and institutional operating models.

The MicroCreds Capstone Event marks both a celebration of achievement and a call for continued commitment to lifelong learning as a core pillar of Ireland’s future skills ecosystem.

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