Student Advocate: simply fill out the corresponding PDF form and send it to badges@mci.edu . MCI Ambassador: simply fill out the corresponding PDF form and send it to badges@mci.edu . MCI Mentor: after having been invited as MCI Mentor by your study program, you only have to fill in the online registration form for mentors. Volunteer: via an online registration form.

Digital Badges - MCI Innsbruck

How do I choose the right Badge? Skills based Badges Engagement based Badges FAQs Terms & Conditions

Digital Badges - Certified competences in digital format

Boost your career with digital badges! Badges are certificates in digital form, attesting to qualifications gained outside formal studies.

A badge is awarded to certify specific skills and describes the criteria that need to be met to achieve this badge. Each badge also contains information about the organization at which a certain qualification has been acquired. Badges make competencies visible to all, including potential employers, project partners, clients etc. They can be efficiently shared using social media.

MCI offers badges to all MCI students who have collected experience and additional qualifications by engaging in extracurricular activities. You may select your badges according to your preferences, personal interests, and individual career plans. This allows you to create a unique career portfolio for future job applications. In addition, the badge program gives you an opportunity to enhance your digital skills and teaches you to take responsibility for lifelong learning.

Contact

In case of questions, please contact us at:

badges@mci.edu

Learning through earning: what are the benefits?

Badges @ MCI

Students of all MCI programs can acquire MCI Badges during their studies (extra-curricular i.e. in addition to their regular studies, without ECTS) at the Entrepreneurial School. Once you have fulfilled all conditions and proven your skills through performance requirements, you will receive your badge digitally (with an e-mail and a link to your badge).

Registration for a maximum of 2 badges per academic year
Badges must be completed within one academic year
Flat fee of EUR 90,- per badge (includes all seminars, MCI Webinars etc.)
Registration period: 1.09. to 15.10. (limited availability)

Benefits for students

Badges …

demonstrate new dimensions of learning,
help you create an individual career portfolio,
make you stand out from your competitors in the labor market,
expand your digital competence profile,
are suited for quick and easy distribution and publication on social media,
are easy to find using online search engines,
and can be collected at different institutions in the context of lifelong learning

Benefits for employers

Digital Badges

Badges …

allow you to easily trace the skills and competencies of future employees,
are an easy way to quickly obtain detailed information about potential employees’ competencies,
help you identify productive and active individuals with an eagerness to learn,
provide an overview of future employees’ basic digital skills.

How do I choose the right Badge?

Questions? If you have any uncertainties about the process, please take a look at our FAQs or contact us via badges@mci.edu.

1. Interests

Get an overview of the MCI Badge Program. Find out which subject area interests you the most.

2. Details

View the detailed information of your preferred badges: content, scope, format, language, evidence, etc.

3. Dates

Compare the dates of the individual activities with your already known schedule to prevent overlaps.

4. Registration

Select the required activities in the online form. After successful registration and payment, you will receive a confirmation.

Skills based Badges

Engagement based Badges (for free)

FAQs | SKILLS BASED BADGES

General Information

What is a skills based badge?

A badge is a digital certificate that shows skills acquired outside the formal study program. There are two types of badges at MCI:

Skills based Badges are awarded based on participation in various seminars and other learning activities in a competence area.
Engagement based Badges are awarded on the basis of special engagement around and/or at the MCI in certain areas: for example by being a student representative or an ambassador for the MCI, as a mentor for students or through voluntary work.

What makes a badge special?

MCI offers badges to all MCI students who have collected experience and additional qualifications by engaging in extracurricular activities. You may select your badges according to your preferences, personal interests, and individual career plans. This allows you to create a unique career portfolio for future job applications. In addition, the badge program gives you an opportunity to enhance your digital skills and teaches you to take responsibility for lifelong learning.

Why do I need a badge?

Badges make acquired skills and/or special engagement visible to everyone, including potential employers, project partners, clients, etc. and can be shared efficiently via social media.

Do I receive ECTS for participating in the MCI Badge Program?

No, no ECTS are awarded for participation in the MCI Badge Program.

However, there are the following exceptions:

If individual courses such as winter or summer schools include ECTS, these are extracurricular ECTS. The extent to which you can have these accredited towards your study program is to be decided on a case-by-case basis by the relevant study program.
In some study programs, it is possible to complete a badge as an elective subject. In this case, the successful completion of the corresponding badge is accredited as a course in your regular study program with ECTS credits. Depending on the study program, only specific badges are eligible.

Do completed badges appear in the Transcript of Records?

No, badges are not listed in the Transcript of Records.

How much time and effort does it take to participate in the MCI Badge Program?

The amount of time and effort required for each badge is very individual and depends greatly on you personally. For one person, the time and effort required to participate in two badges is minimal, for someone else, participating in just one badge is a major additional challenge.

In any case, we recommend that you compare the dates of the individual badge activities with your already known schedule before registering and to start with just one badge. In the next academic year, it will already be easier to assess whether the time and effort required to participate is manageable for you.

Can I also participate in the MCI Badge Program during my semester abroad or internship?

Yes, participation is also possible during your semester abroad or internship, as long as the badge events you have selected are offered online (synchronous or asynchronous).

In which language are badges offered?

Almost all badges can be completed entirely in English, only the two badges Scientific Data Management and Self Marketing are largely held in German.

Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Please contact us at: badges@mci.edu

Into Action

Within what period of time must a badge be completed?

A badge is usually completed within one academic year. Registration takes place in the fall and the badge will be issued in the summer.

Where can I document my participation in the MCI Badge Program?

After successful registration at the beginning of the academic year, all selected activities will be entered into your schedule and you will be given access to the Sakai page of the selected badge, where you can document your progress on an ongoing basis.

During the academic year, you must take part in the activities you have selected (mandatory and elective activities). If you are unable to attend an activity, please let us know as soon as possible via badges@mci.edu.

At the end of the academic year, all additionally required certificates of achievement (which will differ depending on the badge) must be uploaded to the corresponding badge Sakai site under "Assignments". The deadline for this is always June 30.

Is there a minimum attendance rate for the selected activities?

Yes, for successful participation in an activity, a minimum attendance rate of 75% must be achieved. Compensation work is usually not possible.

What happens if I cannot take part in a selected badge activity?

If you are unable to attend an activity, please let us know as soon as possible via badges@mci.edu. Depending on whether it is a mandatory activity or an elective, non-attendance has different consequences. We will be happy to help you in this matter, do not hesitate to contact us.

How do I keep track of my badge progress?

On the Sakai site of the corresponding badge, you can keep track of your badge progress via the menu item "My Badge Progress". If, over the course of the academic year, you no longer know which career events you have already successfully attended, you can view the confirmations of attendance / certificates you have received via myMCI in the "Documents" section. You can check all the remaining courses in your schedule at any time.

Registration

When can I register for a badge?

Online registration for the MCI Badge Program is possible every year from September 1 to October 15 at www.mci4me.at/badges.

How can I register for a badge?

At www.mci4me.at/badges you will find a separate registration button for each badge, which leads to the corresponding registration form. All the necessary fields must be filled in. By clicking on the "Submit" button, you will be automatically forwarded to the payment tool. Your registration is only valid after successful payment and receipt of the registration confirmation.

How many badges can be obtained per academic year?

We recommend taking part in no more than 2 badges per academic year. The regular studies should not be neglected by the additional extracurricular activities.

Can I take part in more than the required minimum number of elective activities?

Yes, you can register for more than the minimum number of elective activities. However, please note that you should only register for activities that you will actually take part in. If you are unable to attend any of the activities you have selected, please let us know as soon as possible via badges@mci.edu.

How can previously completed career events be credited?

If you have already completed career events in a previous academic year that are included in the badge of your choice, you can simply list these in the "Recognition of Prior Learning" field in the registration form. Simply enter the title of the relevant career event and the semester in which the course took place. After the information has been checked manually, these activities will be credited to you and do not have to be completed a second time.

Can a career event be credited for multiple badges?

Yes, if you have registered for two badges that include one or more of the same events, these will automatically be credited towards both badges once you have successfully completed them. The reason for this is that the badges are about "acquiring skills" and not about "completing certain hours".

How much does the participation in the badge program cost?

Generally, a flat fee of EUR 90 is charged per badge. In some years, the badges "Self Marketing" and "International Career Skills" may be sponsored by companies and are therefore free of charge.

What is included in the badge fee?

The badge flat fee includes all the events and activities you have selected as well as the awarding of the digital badge.

How does the payment of the badge fee work?

The payment takes place during the registration process. You can pay the badge fee either via credit card or SOFORT bank transfer. Payment via invoice is not possible.

Can a badge registration be canceled?

In general yes, but a cancellation is only free of charge if no selected badge activity has taken place so far.

Completion

How will I receive my badge?

What happens if I do not meet the requirements for receiving the badge at the end of the academic year?

Is it possible to receive a badge earlier than the end of the academic year?

Yes, it is possible to receive a badge early, provided that you have already completed all mandatory activities, participated in the minimum number of elective activities and uploaded all additionally required certificates of achievement to Sakai. Please contact badges@mci.edu if you need your badge early so that all requirements can be checked by the MCI Student & Career Center.

How can I publish my badge?

You will find instructions on how to do this on the relevant Badge Sakai page under "My Badge Progress" in the document "Getting, Publishing & Managing your Badge".

FAQs | ENGAGEMENT BASED BADGES

General Information & Details

What is an engagement based badge?

A badge is a digital certificate that shows skills acquired outside the formal study program. There are two types of badges at MCI:

Skills based Badges are awarded based on participation in various seminars and other learning activities in a competence area.
Engagement based Badges are awarded on the basis of special engagement around and/or at the MCI in certain areas: for example by being a student representative or an ambassador for the MCI, as a mentor for students or through voluntary work.

When does the registration take place?

Student Advocate: at any time during your studies at MCI and also retroactively as an MCI graduate.
MCI Ambassador: at any time during your studies at MCI as well as an MCI graduate.
MCI Mentor: as an MCI graduate within the framework of the MCI Mentoring Program.
Volunteer: at any time during your studies at MCI.

How do I register?

Student Advocate: simply fill out the corresponding PDF form and send it to badges@mci.edu.
MCI Ambassador: simply fill out the corresponding PDF form and send it to badges@mci.edu.
MCI Mentor: after having been invited as MCI Mentor by your study program, you only have to fill in the online registration form for mentors.
Volunteer: via an online registration form.

How much does participation cost?

Participation in an "engagement based badge" is free of charge.

Within what period of time must this kind of badge be completed?

Student Advocate: the required activities must have taken place during your studies at MCI.
MCI Ambassador: the activities can be carried out during the course of your studies or afterwards.
MCI Mentor: within one academic year.
Volunteer: all requirements can be fulfilled during the entire course of your studies at MCI.

General Terms & Conditions

All the extracurricular courses and assignments etc. have to be completed by the end of the current academic year; the 75% attendance requirement applies to all courses as usual; compensation work is normally not possible.
Participants have to read all relevant information about digital badges in general and know all the requirements of the single badge they register for.
The registration for a badge is binding.
Students can register for a maximum of 2 badges only per academic year.
All respective seminars, webinars, etc. are included in the flat fee of EUR 90 per badge. If students discontinue their participation in the badge program and do not complete all requirements, they will be invoiced for all workshops and seminars they have attended if their total costs exceed EUR 90. The flat fee is not refundable.
Enrollment in more than the minimal number of elective courses is possible and included in the flat fee of EUR 90. However, participants muss attend all courses they have registered for to the generally required attendance rate of at least 75%. If they fail to participate or do not de-register 2 weeks before the course begins, they will be charged the full course fee.
Management Center Innsbruck will communicate the MCI email address of the participants to Open Badge Factory, the badge issuing platform used for the badge program. Open Badge Factory complies with EU legislation on privacy and data protection and does not pass any information on to other third parties without consent. More detailed information about Open Badge Factory’s policies is available here: Open Badge Factory Privacy Policy & Open Badge Factory Data protection statement
Management Center Innsbruck reserves the right to withdraw a badge from the annual offer should the minimal number of registrations not be reached.