Wait, what’s a (digital) badge?
A (digital) badge is a form of so-called micro-credentials - it is a way of showing your achievement in a small unit of learning. As the term suggests, this is a visual documentation of competences and skills you have developed that can be showcased e.g. in social media accounts and during application processes. Typical examples of the learning settings in which a badge is awarded to learners include intercultural learning, social engagement, engagement in research, project work or working in digital environments. A badge comes with information about the higher education institution that has issued it, the learning outcomes, and assessment that has been applied so that learners can demonstrate their competences. It is created with an open standard that will ensure interoperability as well as the validation and verification of the data associated with the badge. more information
 
What does the IVAC badge stand for?
The IVAC digital badge acknowledges your participation in the IVAC Festival and your engagement with the contents of the workshops and lectures held. It will help you make transparent that you have gained knowledge about the topic international virtual academic collaboration and have developed competences that will help you understand, respond to, and take on different perspectives regarding cross-cultural online exchange. In more detail, the IVAC badge indicates that you

• know about general characteristics of international virtual academic collaborations and the roles that intercultural encounters and a change in perspective play there,
• have an understanding of the opportunities and challenges that international virtual academic collaborations entail, especially with regard to changing perspectives, 
• have engaged with one or more aspects that are relevant for international virtual academic collaboration (e.g. choosing a platform, designing a collaborative scenario, staying mindful of issues of cognitive justice, evaluating VE formats, ...) in more detail and can discuss their significance, 
• have experienced intercultural encounters and practiced a change in perspective yourselves and that you can reflect on how this will impact your studies and/or teaching in online scenarios.

How can I earn the IVAC badge?
To earn the badge “International Virtual Academic Collaboration”, you need to take part in at least two workshops and at least two keynotes or lunch & lectures as well as at least one social event. Choose these from the IVAC Festival programme by looking out for the badge-icon in the schedule:

• workshops that will help you work towards the badge carry a green ribbon icon  
• keynotes and lectures a yellow ribbon icon
• and social events a purple ribbon icon

Please note that some workshops can only admit a limited number of participants.

After participating in the IVAC Festival, we ask you to reflect on your experiences in a short reflection portfolio (2-3 pages) that is due by September 15, 2021. You will also have the chance to discuss any questions you might have about the badge or your portfolio in an "open drop-in session" (Fri, Sept. 3, 2021: 10.00 am - 12.00 pm CEST). Please submit your completed reflection portfolios to ivac.festival@uni-goettingen.de.

Once the IVAC team has reviewed your portfolio, you will receive an e-mail from the digital badge platform we are using to issue the digital badge (Open Badge Factory). You will have the opportunity to retrieve your badge via a claim code that you will find in the e-mail and display it on your online profiles. On a voluntary basis, you can also create an Open Badge Passport to collect the IVAC Badge along with other badges in an digital “backpack”. By the way, Open Badge Factory is GDR compliant and has been checked by the Data Protection Officer of the University of Göttingen.
 
And what do I do with my IVAC badge?
After claiming your IVAC badge, you can share it with others via a link, embed code, or - this is the most common form of sharing - add it to your profile on social media, such as Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. This way, you can make your competences visible to your peers and potential employers.