The seventh online discussion round on January 29^th, 2025, focused on lifelong learning and micro-credentials within Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). Mark Gibson from Teagasc, Ireland, presented on “Enhancing Ireland's AKIS for Sustainable Farming”. AKIS is the organization and interaction of persons, organizations and institutions who use and produce knowledge and innovation for agriculture and interrelated fields. It assists in speeding up knowledge generation, exchange and practice. The main objectives of AKIS are to improve actors’ capacities to leverage individual organization and systemic resources needed for the transformation towards more coherent, effective, and efficient AKIS systems. This is what the EU Project modernAKIS (modernization of Agriculture through more efficient and effective Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation) works towards. Alongside this transformation, the transition to a more sustainable management and use of natural resources in farming and forestry is aimed at. The platform AKISConnect bridges the worlds of modernAKIS and another EU funded project, ATTRACTISS. Training materials, modules on AKIS, events and additional resources are provided there.

Fiona Lalor from the University College Dublin, School of Agriculture and Food Science (SAFS), Ireland, talked about “Micro-credentials and Agriculture in Ireland”. A micro-credential is a bite-sized accredited course designed to fit into a busy life and enables reskilling to advance or pivot careers and professional development. It is still a new and evolving type of learning, which is flexible and industry aligned. Micro-credits can be awarded with ECTS and can be used for further studies. They are typically 100% online and asynchronous so students can get access to the materials when it suits them best.  The funding is achieved by a learner subsidy scheme helping students to cover the costs. In the School of Agriculture and Food Science, several topic related micro-credentials are available, e.g., on “Communication in Agri-Innovation”, “Concepts of Nutrition and Healthy Eating”, “Creativity and Innovation for sustainable Food Systems” or “Food Risk Analysis”. An investigation of student backgrounds revealed that most are farmers, but also advisors and people from the agricultural industry are taking micro-credential courses. It is an ideal concept for those working in farming to upskill and develop their learning.