New Coursera Survey Shows Growing Micro-Credential Adoption Among Higher Education Leaders

By Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer

Today, I’m excited to introduce a new Coursera survey of more than 1.000 higher education leaders—including deans, provosts, and chancellors representing 850+ institutions across 89 countries — which shows a major acceleration in the adoption of micro-credentials among campuses globally.  

Students and employers agree that supplementing degree programs with industry micro-credentials produces more job-ready graduates in today’s dynamic labor market. While universities have been slower to respond to changing workforce needs in previous years, leaders are no longer sitting on the sidelines. 

The key findings in the Micro-Credentials Impact Report 2024 include: 

Higher education leaders are now championing micro-credentials

• 94% believe micro-credentials can strengthen students’ long-term career outcomes. 
• Over half (51%) surveyed said their institutions offer micro-credentials.
• Over half (53%) who offer micro-credentials also provide academic credit for them.
• Over two-thirds (68%) of university leaders who don’t offer micro-credentials plan to adopt them in the next five years.

Students are more engaged in programs with micro-credentials

Among leaders offering micro-credentials: 

• Nearly 9 in 10 (87%) higher education leaders see micro-credentials as a path to happier students, agreeing they boost satisfaction and engagement.
• 75% say students are more likely to enroll in programs that offer micro-credentials for academic credit. 
• 80% agree that micro-credentials can support student retention. 

Micro-credentials improve job prospects for students and advance careers for staff

Among leaders offering micro-credentials: 

• 97% say micro-credentials can strengthen long-term career outcomes for students.
• 87% say students with micro-credentials are more likely to be job-ready upon graduation than those without.
• 93% say micro-credentials equip their institutions to meet employer demands for job-related skills in their students.
• 96% say micro-credentials can help alumni, faculty, and other professionals further their careers.

But obstacles remain for leaders adopting and expanding micro-credential programs 

• Top adoption challenges among leaders who don’t offer micro-credentials:
  • A lack of awareness about micro-credentials (50%), 
  • Difficulties integrating micro-credentials with existing curriculum (45%), 
  • Uncertainty about the quality of micro-credentials (35%)
• Top expansion challenges for leaders that offer micro-credentials:
  • Resource allocation (53%)
  • Curriculum transformation (50%) 
  • Ensuring faculty buy-in and engagement (47%).

In May 2023, Coursera launched Career Academy to help universities supplement their degree programs with industry micro-credentials from the world’s top companies including Google, IBM, and Microsoft. Added to a degree program, these entry-level Professional Certificates help students explore and pursue in-demand career paths in growing fields such as cybersecurity, project management, and software development. ACE, ECTS, and NSQF Credit Recommendations make it easier to give and receive academic credit for eligible certificates. The University of Texas System, for example, offers Career Academy for-credit across its campuses to prepare 240,000 students for in-demand local careers. Since launch, over 10,000 students enrolled in 1 or more Professional Certificates and students have completed more than 25,000 courses. 

Coursera’s global report findings, grounded in a robust survey with an industry-standard range of error at a 95% confidence level, present new research in the understudied field of micro-credentials and their impact on campus. As higher education evolves, we hope this report serves as a valuable resource for institutions exploring and integrating micro-credentials into their learning ecosystems.

To download the full report and explore the key findings, click here. To learn more about Coursera for Campus, visit coursera.org/campus. 

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