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Nexus Credentials: Architecture

2.1 Credential Stack & Ladder (NB→MB→MC→PC/AC/DIP→FEL)

Purpose. Make learning stackable, portable, and renewable from micro-skills to advanced programs.

  • NB (Nanobadge, 2–4h): Single, atomic skill + quick check. No expiry. Ideal for on-ramp.
  • MB (Microbadge, 6–8h): Mini-project + quiz; first portfolio artifact.
  • MC (Micro-Certificate, 12–20h): Labs, graded assessment, and a verifiable artifact (mandatory).
  • PC (Professional Certificate, ~60–90h): 3–5 MCs + capstone; program award.
  • AC (Advanced Certificate, ~120–150h): Deeper specialization; external review.
  • DIP (Diploma, ~240–300h): Cross-stream integration; red-team/board defense.
  • FEL (Fellowship): Invitation-only; publish in Nexus Journals; standards stewardship.
    NCU: 1 Nexus Credit Unit = 10 hours (advisory mappings to CEU/ECTS/CPD).
    Renewal: Only when MAJOR updates change learning outcomes (delta exam).

2.2 Course vs Program: Objects & Boundaries

  • Courses (NB/MB/MC): Learning units with their own codes, outcomes, assessments, NCUs, artifacts.
  • Programs (PC/AC/DIP/FEL): Bundles of courses + capstone, defined in a separate program object.
  • Separation of concerns:
    • Courses are versioned by rev, programs declare minimum accepted revisions per required course.
    • Transcripts store course completions; program conferral references those completions.
  • Capstones: Have their own unit code (e.g., FIN-PC-599) and rubric.

2.3 Stable Codes & Identifiers (Immutable IDs)

  • Course code (immutable):STREAM-TYPE-LEVELSEQ (e.g., FIN-MC-318).
    • STREAM: CORE, HLT, PUB, FIN, POL, TEC, ENV, SYS
    • TYPE: NB, MB, MC
    • LEVEL: 0–6 (0 Orientation … 6 Research)
    • SEQ: 01–99
  • Program code: PRG-[TIER]-[STREAM|PATH]-NN (e.g., PRG-PC-FIN-01).
  • Never embed versions in codes; use rev metadata.
  • Permalinks: /academy/courses/<code> (latest) + ?rev=YY.MM.P for specific.

2.4 Revisions & Releases (rev: YY.MM.P)

  • Format: YY.MM.P → Year, Month, Patch (e.g., 25.09.1).
  • MAJOR (YY bump): Learning outcomes change → delta exam invitation for renewal.
  • MINOR (MM bump): Content/lab upgrades; outcomes unchanged.
  • PATCH (.P): Editorial/bug fixes only.
  • Program rule: Programs list min accepted rev for each required course (e.g., FIN-MC-311>=25.09).

2.5 Evidence Artifacts & Portfolios

  • MC-level and above: Must produce a portfolio artifact (dashboard, clause-trigger pack, GIS matrix, runbook).
  • Provenance: Recorded via NXS-NSF (data lineage, model cards, licenses); hash-only on-chain proof.
  • Licensing: SPDX-identified license; reuse/derivative terms clear.
  • Persistence: Public artifacts may receive DOIs (DataCite) and JSON-LD (Dataset/SoftwareSourceCode).

2.6 Standards Alignment Layer (ISO 31000, Sendai, Basel/ISSB, DORA)

  • Each course declares standards tags it teaches/applies (e.g., ISO 31000, Sendai, Basel/ISSB, SR 11-7, DORA/NIS2, GDPR/AI Act).
  • Alignment objects (machine-readable) specify: clause/paragraph, evidence type, and assessment coverage.
  • Programs aggregate standard coverage and display compliance matrices in NXS-DSS dashboards.

2.7 Competency Frameworks (ESCO/O*NET, SFIA/NICE)

  • General: Map outcomes to ESCO/O*NET skills/occupations for labor portability.
  • Tech/Cyber: Map to SFIA (e.g., ANL4, AURE5) and NICE tasks.
  • Finance/Health/Env: Add discipline-specific frameworks (e.g., ISSB/Basel, clinical/public-health competencies, ISO 191xx for geospatial).
  • Use: Display on course pages, export via JSON-LD/LRMI for HR/ATS searchability.

2.8 Interoperability Primitives (Schemas, APIs, Registries)

  • Metadata: Schema.org/LRMI for courses/programs; DCAT-AP for catalogs & datasets.
  • Assessments & tools: IMS QTI (items), IMS LTI 1.3 (tool launch), xAPI/Caliper (analytics to LRS).
  • Publishing: JATS for articles (Nexus Journals), Crossref/DataCite DOIs, ORCID/ROR for identities.
  • APIs: /api/catalog/v1/courses/{code}, /programs/{program_code}, ?rev=; /verify for badges.
  • Harvesting: OAI-PMH endpoints; sitemaps for discovery.
  • Credentials: Open Badges 3.0 in W3C VC envelopes; DID issuer; revocation via NXS-NSF.

2.9 Cross-Listing & Canonical Ownership

  • Cross-listing: A course may appear in multiple streams (e.g., FIN/ENV) but has one canonical owner.
  • Policy: Canonical owner approves changes; mirrors sync within 48 hours.
  • Conflict resolution: Registrar mediates; canonical repository is authoritative.
  • Discovery: Cross-listed entries share a single code, not duplicated codes.

2.10 Internationalization & Localization (i18n/L10n/RtL)

  • Languages: Minimum EN/FR/ES/AR; localized slugs and metadata.
  • Right-to-left (RtL): Full UI support where applicable.
  • Standards localization: Regional references (e.g., EN 301 549, Section 508) displayed by locale.
  • Assessment parity: Items localized with psychometric equivalence checks; accessibility preserved (WCAG 2.2 AA).
  • Time zones & calendars: Events and deadlines shown in learner locale (America/Toronto default unless overridden).

Result: This architecture makes Nexus Credentials verifiable, portable, and future-proof—interoperable with major education systems, professional institutes, journals, and indexing services, while preserving accessibility, privacy, and rigorous evidence.