"Background----------------More than 90% of what we learn throughout life takes place outside formal education institutions, in everyday life, at work, in social or domestic activities. Yet this learning which is characterised as ""non-formal"" or ""informal"", unlike ""formal"" learning, remains essentially invisible: if formal education is made visible through its diplomas and certificates, what about informal learning? There are, of course, recognition mechanisms such as the Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) in France, but this involves going through the filter of formal education institutions and obtaining a diploma. The only visible recognition of informal learning was formal recognition.This was the situation until 2011, the year of the invention of Open Badges: with Open Badges it became possible to make informal learning visible without having to go through the institutional box. Moreover, while Open Badges had been designed to ""make informal learning visible"", they were also intended to ""make informal recognition visible"".The main objective of MIRVA (Making Informal Recognition Visible and Actionable) was therefore to study how Open Badges could contribute not only to making these recognitions visible, but above all ""actionable"", notably by relying on the new Open Badges 2.0 specification. As Open Badges could now be ""endorsed"" by any person or institution to informally accredit their value and timeliness, we had the possibility of shifting the centre of gravity of recognition to the informal space, giving people more room for manoeuvre in a recognition process currently dominated by formal educational institutions. Thanks to working closely with associated partners in the various collectives initiated following the creation of the Reconnaître- Open Recognition Alliance, MIRVA has produced :* Open Recognition Framework* Guidelines for communities and individuals* Guidelines for organisations and practitioners* Guidelines for technology suppliers and customers* Guidelines for linking informal recognition to benchmarksResults beyond initial expectations---------------------------------------------------------The initial objectives of the project were largely exceeded, particularly in France where the results of the reflections carried out during the design of the Open Recognition Framework were taken up by the rapporteurs on the revision of the VAE appointed by five ministers to ""identify the blocking points"" of the system of validation of acquired experience (VAE) and ""formulate proposals for concrete evolutions"". Following Badgeons la Normandie, Reconnaître has enabled MIRVA to develop through ""learning territories"" projects in which dozens of local organisations promote the ideas and practices of open recognition: - Badgeons le Centre Val de Loire- Badgeons les Pays de la Loire- Badges Ouverts A Tous (BOAT) en Nouvelle Aquitaine- Collectif BRAVO en Bourgogne Franche-Comté- Badgeons la Mayenne- Badgeons le Pas de Calais- Badganou le collectif de la Réunion- Badgeons le Grand-Est- Manche Open badge Other results :- Creation of Reconnaître-Open Recognition Alliance (not-for-profit association)- Creation of Open Recognition Belgium (not-for-profit association)- Creation of Open Recognition Netherlands (not-for-profit association)- Creation of Bit of Trust (start-up on the future of Open Badges technology)- Setting up new European projects on Open Recognition- Financing of several Open Recognition projects within the framework of Plan d'investissement dans les Compétences (PIC)- Creation of REVA (REconnaissance VAlidation) a state-sponsored startup to support a ""renewed"" approach to recognition of prior learning and experience using Open Badges.Participants--------------1. EMF (Centre for Scientific, Technical and Industrial Culture) - France2. EAEA (European NGO - Adult Education) - Belgium 3. FiBS (Research Institute for Economics of Education and Social Affairs) - Germany4. Gear Up (Consultancy) The Netherlands 5. EPL EFPA EURE (Higher Education) - France 6. Open Knowledge (NGO) - Belgium 7. CINECA (Research Centre) - Italy8. Mind 2 Innovate (Expert Group on Education, Research, Social Innovation and Industry) - Greece"

Context/background-------------------------An analysis of computer science shows a steady decrease in female graduates since 2000 that is particularly marked in high-income countries. While numerous reasons have been advanced to explain gender imbalance in STEM education and careers, the one BRIDGES aims at addressing is the issue of recognition. The BRIDGES approach------------------------------While numerous reasons have been advanced to explain gender imbalance in STEM education and careers, the one BRIDGES aims at addressing is the issue of recognition, e.g. the “Matilda Effect” about how women scientists’ contributions can be overlooked or mis-attributed to their male colleagues, the different needs and modalities of recognition between men (who tend to need and receive more) and women, etc.Based on the seminal work on recognition from authors including Nancy Fraser, Charles Taylor, Axel Honneth in combination with the latest development in digital recognition technologies, such as Open Badges and social networks, BRIDGES aims at exploring the conditions for novel approaches to recognition, more open, more inclusive and more fitting to the social practices of girls and woman (c.f. Deborah Tannen “You Just don’t Understand”, Eckert, Penelope and Sally McConnell-Ginet “Communities of practice: “Where language, gender, and power all live”).:Building Open STEM Ecosystems---------------------------------------------BRIDGES aims at designing, implementing and evaluating Open STEM Ecosystems based on innovative approaches to recognition and accreditation to improve gender equity in the access to STEM education and careersBRIDGES will:1) Create the conditions for the increased participation of girls and women in STEM education and careers2) Bridge informal and formal STEM education and practices for future and actual female scientistsOutcomes-------------Through the consultation of a network of organisations and practitioners, BRIDGES will produce: * O1 – State of the Art (of STEM Learning and Recognition Ecosystems )* O2 – Open STEM Scenarios * O3 – Open STEM Infrastructure* O4 - Open STEM cMOOC * O5 – Open STEM Ecosystems* O6 – Open STEM Guidelines Long term benefits-------------------------Better understanding the causes of gender inequity in STEM education and careers, and possibly having provided elements to redress it, through a combination of awareness raising, innovative practices supported by innovative technologies.Participants---------------The participants are a consortium of non-formal and formal science and technologies education providers:1. Espace Mendès France, France2. University of Cyprus3. Open Knowledge Belgium4. Scientifica, Romania5. Vrije Universiteit, Netherlands6. Reconnaître-Open Recognition Alliance