The micro-credential playing field is complicated, with new players entering the game all the time. So, where do institutions start and how can they succeed?
We recently released our ‘Micro-credential management: Where to start and how to succeed’ guide, which contains strategic insights and resources to help higher education institutions create, govern and take new micro-credentials to market quicker.
Download our new Micro-credential Management guide.
The micro-credentials landscape
The global talent shortage is impacting almost every business but the solution we need isn’t so clear-cut.
While macro-credentials allow for skills mastery through years of learning, it doesn’t do much to soothe the escalating demands of the workforce. Instead, the goal should be to cultivate the right skills to match the existing gaps within the business in a timely manner – which is where ‘bite-sized’ learning or micro-credentials slot in.
As more organizations rethink their approach to talent acquisition, employee training and professional development, micro-credentials will become more prominent by each passing day.
But micro-credentials aren’t just a valuable learning resource for students, they also help higher education institutions grow their ecosystem of learning.
According to Holon IQ, 75% of institutions worldwide are in some state of micro-credential adoption.
However, there is little guidance available to how institutions can create, quality assure and govern their credentials. This has led to a slow adoption of micro-credentials in the higher education sector, leaving the playing field wide open for non-traditional education providers.
So, how can higher education institutions adapt and integrate micro-credentials into their ecosystem of learning? And what factors will they need to consider?
How to successfully create, govern and publish micro-credentials
Here are some of the key steps that institutions can implement to help them take more micro-credentials to market quicker.
- Create and manage structured micro-credential data in a definitive source.
Micro-credentials are unique in that they can be created and used in a multitude of ways. Capturing micro-credential curriculum information in a structured way is an important first step. Institutions will need a robust and flexible data model that allows them to capture and use their micro-credential information. - Create processes that ensure quality.
Every institution has its own process for proposing, quality assuring, and approving new courses or programs. Dynamic workflows, event-driven automation and collaboration tools all work to streamline and improve internal efficiencies. Since micro-credentials are unique in size, scope and purpose, tailored workflows must be considered.
- Publish and market micro-credentials to students.
Curriculum information provides students with all the information they need to make informed decisions about their study options. Institutions need solutions that enable them to publish and market micro-credentials in easy-to-consume formats – for example, promoting via an ecommerce-style ‘shop front’ if micro-credentials are offered separately from traditional awards, or publishing in the course catalog if micro-credentials co-exist with traditional awards.
We provide more tips to success in our latest Micro-credential Management guide. Unlock more insights by downloading the guide today.