Open Badge and digital certificates
The project
Ca' Foscari University is leveraging digital certifications, such as Open Badges and Blockcerts, to enhance the visibility of its students' skills. These certifications provide a more effective means for students to demonstrate their capabilities both during their studies and by participating in other activities, such as language courses, innovative teaching activities and other initiatives proposed by the University.
Open Badges are especially valuable for increasing visibility in the global market as they contain metadata that can replace the information that is typically reported in a traditional curriculum vitae. As a result, students can confidently rely on the digital certifications issued by the University to validate their skills.
What is an Open Badge?
Open Badges are a global, innovative and secure standard for the digital certification of acquired knowledge, skills and abilities.
Widely and internationally recognised by companies, universities, and educational institutions, Open Badges are digital certificates consisting of a visual element and structured metadata. Open Badges contain details about the issuing organisation and collect, in a personal and verifiable way, the activities performed, the objectives achieved, and how they were verified, making this information accessible to interested stakeholders.
What is a Blockcerts?
The Blockcerts standard, developed by the MIT Media Lab, enables a certificate to be digitally represented and securely stored on a blockchain. Once issued by an organisation, this digital certificate becomes the individual's property and can be verified at any time by anyone, without requiring confirmation from the issuing organisation.
In addition to traditional certificates, Ca' Foscari uses blockchain technology to issue Blockcerts digital certificates for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. This ensures the authenticity and integrity of these credentials, making them tamper-proof and always available.
How to claim an Open Badge
Once your Open Badge has been awarded, you will receive an email from info@bestr.it - on behalf of Ca' Foscari University - inviting you to access the Bestr platform (which collects data on Open Badges) and to clailm and activate your Open Badge. To access bestr.it, use your University credentials or Public Digital Identity System (SPID).
Some Open Badges are assigned automatically: you will receive an email notification of the assignment.
Attention: you will still need to access the Bestr.it platform with your University or SPID credentials to download and use it. Add a personal email to your account via the "User Settings" command found in the top right menu of your Personal Area.
How to use an Open Badge
Open Badges can be inserted in one's digital curriculum vitae and shared on social networks to communicate acquired competencies in a clear, concise and certified way.
Visit the blog.bestr.it for more information on Open Badges and Blockcerts or for technical guidance and news.
Open Badge issued by Ca' Foscari
Bachelor's and Master's degree
Ca' Foscari University enhances the recognition of its graduates by providing traditional degree certificates and supplements diplomas, as well as issuing an Open Badge and Blockcerts for each Bachelor’s or Master's degree programme. These badges and certificates contain information about the holder's career and achievements.
Minor and Advanced course
A Minor is a complementary programme to a Bachelor’s Degree which allows you to broaden your main study field by developing cross-cutting skills that are useful both for your further education and for your career.
Advanced Courses are designed to deepen students’ understanding of topics deemed particularly significant and relevant to disseminate scientific knowledge, thus improving the skills acquired with the academic curriculum.
Innovative teaching, soft skills, cross-cutting activities
Ca' Foscari issues Open Badges in recognition of skills and abilities acquired through participation in projects, educational programme and activities in the various fields of university life, supporting each individual path.
- Laboratories for active learning - Short Edition
- Hack the Environment
- WHALE - Working on non-Human Animals Law and rights in the Eu (Jean Monnet module)
- First Introduction to Sustainability
- Laboratories for active learning
- ComPAct LAB - Skills for Public Administration, Citizenship and Territory
- Buddy Programme
- University of Volunteering
- Information Literacy Basic Level
- Information Literacy Advanced Level
- Sustainability competencies
- QA Skills for Students
Competency Centre
Ca’ Foscari Competency Centre (CFCC) does research, training and consulting activities in the area concerning the development and assessment of behavioral competencies (soft skills). The mission of the Ca’ Foscari Competency Centre is to improve the performance and the employability of people through the development of their behavioral competencies.
School for International Education
Ca' Foscari School for International Education (SIE) organises Italian language and culture courses, annual programmes preparatory to university enrolment, summer schools and summer courses.
University Language Centre
The University Language Centre (Centro Linguistico di Ateneo - CLA) encourages foreign language learning as an essential element in every student’s university education and as an opportunity for lifelong learning for everyone.
Last update: 06/11/2024