At their current stage of development, can micro-credentials truly be considered as transnational certifications? The Council Recommendation (European Union, 2022) represents the first attempt to systematize micro-credentials within the European area. However, it does not define specific procedures regarding recognition: in accordance with the principle of educational system autonomy, it leaves the decision to the competent authorities and institutions of each individual organization, according to national and institutional procedures that remain heterogeneous.

This research adopts the concept of interoperability as a central analytical dimension. It focuses on contexts with existing and structured experiences in the design and use of micro-credentials. It selects a small group of European Universities Alliances as case studies, as these are transnational higher education contexts already grappling with the issue of mutual recognition.