What is Open Badges?
Also called: Open Badge · Digital badge · Open Badges 2.0 · Open Badges 3.0Definition
Open Badges is an open standard for digital credentials, originally developed by Mozilla and now maintained by 1EdTech (formerly IMS Global Learning Consortium). Each badge is an image plus embedded data stating who issued it, who earned it, when, what the achievement is, the criteria for earning it and, optionally, evidence. Because the data follows a published standard, anyone can verify a badge and display it on LinkedIn, in a digital wallet or on a website. Open Badges 2.0 is widely used; Open Badges 3.0 aligns with W3C Verifiable Credentials.
An Open Badges 2.0 credential has three linked parts: the issuer profile (the organisation), the badge class (the achievement, its description, criteria and image) and the assertion (the award to one person, with date, recipient identity and optional evidence and expiry). The assertion can be hosted at a public URL so a verifier can check it, or cryptographically signed. The data can be baked into the badge image file so it travels with it.
For corporate L&D, Open Badges make credentials portable and checkable: an employee can share a badge, and a recruiter or client can confirm who issued it and what it required. Their value depends entirely on the criteria behind them. A badge for watching a video says much less than one for passing an assessed task. Bodhih issues its credentials as Open Badge 2.0, verifiable by link, and states movement against a measured baseline rather than attendance.
Common mistakes: issuing badges for attendance, which dilutes them; writing vague criteria; and leaving out expiry for skills that need recertification.
Key points
- Originally developed by Mozilla; maintained by 1EdTech.
- Data includes issuer, achievement, criteria, recipient, date and optional evidence.
- Open Badges 2.0: issuer profile, badge class and assertion.
- Open Badges 3.0 aligns with the W3C Verifiable Credentials data model.
- A badge is only as credible as its criteria.
An example at work
A Chennai IT services firm issues an Open Badge to engineers who pass an internal cloud security assessment. Engineers add it to their LinkedIn profiles, and when a client asks for proof of training, the delivery manager shares the badge link, which shows the issuer, criteria and award date.
Where this is used at Bodhih
Related terms
Verifiable credential
A verifiable credential is a digital certificate whose issuer, holder and contents can be checked by anyone, so it cannot be faked or altered undetected.
Competency assessment
Competency assessment is the process of measuring a person’s proficiency against defined competencies, using evidence from tests, tasks, observation or work samples.
Proctored exam
A proctored exam is an assessment taken under supervision, in person or online, so the result can be trusted as the candidate’s own unaided work.
Competency framework
A competency framework is a structured set of the skills, knowledge and behaviours an organisation needs, each defined with observable levels of proficiency.
More about Open Badges
What is the difference between a digital badge and a certificate?
A PDF certificate is a picture of a claim and is easy to copy. An Open Badge carries structured, standard data about the issuer, criteria and earner, and can be checked against the issuer’s hosted record or signature. Many organisations issue both: a certificate to print and a badge to share and verify.
Can I add an Open Badge to LinkedIn?
Yes. You can add the credential to the Licences and certifications section of your LinkedIn profile, with the issuing organisation and a link to the badge’s verification page, so anyone viewing your profile can check it.