success story
Supporting innovation at the University of Galway
Client: University of Galway
Project: University Skills Passport (USP)
SureCampus partnered with the University of Galway to bring the University Skills Passport (USP) from vision to reality — a groundbreaking digital platform that empowers students to recognise, track, and showcase their skills with confidence and credibility. Built on Oracle APEX and hosted securely in Oracle Cloud, the USP transforms how universities capture, credential, and celebrate student achievement.
Project overview
The University of Galway, supported by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), launched the University Skills Passport (USP) initiative to formally validate students’ transferable skills and competencies developed throughout their academic journey.
SureCampus was engaged early in the project to help translate the USP team’s concept into a fully operational, secure, and scalable system. Working in close partnership, the teams moved the project from an initial idea to a live, cloud-hosted platform now recognised as a pioneering model for digital credentialing across higher education.
Clarifying the Vision
The USP team had a strong vision but needed a way to visualise and clearly articulate the concept to a wider university audience including academic, technical, administrative, and student stakeholders.
SureCampus worked closely with project leads to define and communicate the system’s purpose, functionality, and user experience, ensuring early buy-in and shared understanding across the institution.
Co-designing the solution
SureCampus led an interactive and collaborative design process, working hand-in-hand with the USP team to transform their vision into a tangible prototype. Using Figma as the design platform, SureCampus facilitated a series of workshops, feedback sessions, and live design reviews to refine user journeys, interfaces, and functionality.
The result was a high-fidelity prototype that not only captured the essence of the USP concept but also served as a visual and functional guide for development, helping the University secure full stakeholder support for implementation.
Building a secure, cloud-hosted solution
Following the successful design phase, SureCampus delivered a robust and scalable production system using Oracle APEX, hosted in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
The system integrates seamlessly with key university and external platforms, including:
Ellucian Quercus
(Student Administration System)
Digitary
(for issuing verified digital credentials)
Social media platforms,
enabling students to share verified achievements
The USP allows students to receive and manage digital badges mapped to the University’s skills framework, consolidating both curricular and extra-curricular achievements. Each student can generate a personalised Skills Passport a dynamic, portable record of their skills and development issued alongside their degree parchment and transcript.
Ensuring long-term success
SureCampus continues to provide managed hosting, maintenance, and support, ensuring the platform remains secure, high-performing, and aligned with the University’s evolving strategic goals.
This ongoing partnership ensures the USP continues to grow and adapt as a key pillar of the University’s Student Success Strategy.
Outcomes and impact
Transformative impact
Over 13,500 digital badges and 6,500 University Skills Passport documents issued in the first six months of launch.
Institution-wide engagement
210 extra-curricular opportunities and 50 academic modules incorporated during the pilot.
Trusted partnership
SureCampus’ collaborative design, UX expertise, and technical delivery were central to bringing this innovation to life.
Student empowerment
Enables students to visualise and articulate their skills development in real time, with verified, shareable credentials.
Institutional innovation
Positions the University of Galway as a leader in digital credentialing across Irish and European higher education.
Client review
“Surecampus were an exceptional partner — professional, creative, and fully committed to bringing the Skills Passport from concept to reality. Their expertise in design and development ensured the success of this flagship initiative.”
— Brídín Quinn, University Skills Passport Project, University of Galway
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