What a badge is, and what it is not
1EdTech, the standards body behind Open Badges, describes a badge as a package of information about a single recognition or achievement: who earned it, who issued it and the criteria required, optionally with evidence of the relevant skills. The image is the visible part; the metadata is what makes it checkable.
A badge does not add rigour to whatever it represents. A badge for watching a webinar and a badge for passing a proctored certification exam use the same technology. What a badge proves is set entirely by the issuer's criteria, which is why the first thing to read on any badge page is the criteria text.
Glossary
Credly's marketing figures, such as 123 million credentials earned and managed, are the company's own claims and are shown on its home page without a method.
| Term | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Open Badges | A 1EdTech standard for packaging information about one achievement; 1EdTech lists versions 3.0, 2.1 and 2.0 | 1EdTech |
| OpenBadgeCredential | An Open Badges 3.0 badge, digitally signed by the issuing organisation as a Verifiable Credential | 1EdTech |
| Verifiable Credential | A credential signed according to the W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model 2.0, so tampering can be detected | 1EdTech |
| Issuer | The organisation that awards the badge, for example AWS Training and Certification | 1EdTech; AWS |
| Criteria | What the earner had to do; this is the substance of the badge | 1EdTech |
| Evidence | Optional demonstrations of the skill attached to the badge | 1EdTech |
| Endorsement | An Open Badges 3.0 credential in which a third party signals support for an issuer, programme or achievement, with metadata such as issuance and expiration dates | 1EdTech |
| Badge Connect API | A standard for learner-initiated transfer of badges between systems | 1EdTech |
| Credly | A badge hosting platform by Pearson; it says 3,700+ providers and employers issue credentials through it | Credly |
| Acclaim | The name AWS's FAQ uses for Credly's platform (Credly's Acclaim platform); the IBM Data Science page also tells graduates to claim an IBM badge through Acclaim | AWS; Coursera |
Which programmes issue badges
AWS says its certification badges are issued through Credly, and that each badge has a verify option showing the issue date and that the issuer is AWS Training and Certification. AWS does not publish a list of certified individuals, so the badge link is the intended way to check someone's status.
On Coursera, the IBM Data Science Professional Certificate page says graduates receive an email with directions to claim an IBM badge through Acclaim. Both the IBM and Google Data Analytics pages say certificate graduates are emailed to claim a Credly badge that contains the ACE or ECTS credit recommendation, and that a competency-based transcript can be shared with a school from the Credly platform. The pages add that each institution decides whether to accept the credit recommendation.
Microsoft is a useful counter-example. Its college-credit page says only certifications earned and claimed on Credly before June 30, 2023 appear on Credly transcripts; for newer certifications, Microsoft asks you to share a Microsoft Learn transcript link instead. Badge hosting can change, so check the issuer's current instructions.
Accept, share and check a badge
If you are the earner, treat acceptance as part of finishing the course. An unclaimed badge cannot be shared, and the invitation email is easy to lose.
- Accept: Credly says you receive an email from [email protected], create an account, confirm your email, log in and accept the badge.
- Share: log in, open the badge and click the green Share button; Credly names LinkedIn among the networks and also offers a mobile wallet option.
- Check: open the badge page from the earner's link, read the issuer name and criteria, and use any verify option the page offers; AWS says its badges show issue date and issuer.
- Open Badges 3.0 badges can also be checked with the public verifiers 1EdTech links to at vc.1ed.tech.
- Expired after renewing: Credly says to contact the issuing organisation if a badge still shows as expired after you recertified.
What a badge proves, in practice
Read three things on any badge: the issuer, the criteria and the dates. An AWS certification badge tells you the person passed an AWS certification exam and when; AWS asks certified people to recertify every three years, so an old badge may describe a lapsed certification. A Coursera partner badge carrying an ACE credit recommendation tells you an evaluator recommended credit for that programme, not that any college has granted it.
For hiring managers, a badge is a convenient pointer to the issuer's record, not a replacement for judging the skill. For learners, posting a badge is worth doing when the criteria are meaningful to the people you want to impress.
Questions before you decide
What is the Open Badges standard?
Open Badges is a 1EdTech standard for packaging information about a single achievement: who earned it, who issued it and the criteria, optionally with evidence. Version 3.0 badges are digitally signed as Verifiable Credentials.
How do I accept a Credly badge?
Credly says you get an email from [email protected], create an account and confirm your email, then log in and accept the badge. You can then share it with the green Share button.
Does a Coursera certificate come with a Credly badge?
Some do. The IBM Data Science and Google Data Analytics pages say graduates are emailed to claim a Credly badge containing the ACE or ECTS credit recommendation.
Are Microsoft certifications still on Credly?
Microsoft says only certifications earned and claimed on Credly before June 30, 2023 appear on Credly transcripts. For newer ones, share your Microsoft Learn transcript link.
Sources & verification
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- 1EdTech: Open Badges standard Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Credly by Pearson Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Credly: Badge earner support Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- AWS Certification FAQs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera: IBM Data Science Professional Certificate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera: Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Microsoft Learn: College credit for certification exams (transcript sharing) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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