Microcredentials: Lived Experiences and 12 Factors for Success

Concurrent Session 5

Brief Abstract

Creating and offering microcredentials can generate meaningful additional enrollments and revenue for higher education institutions. However, doing so requires structures, processes, and partnerships different from those typically used to support matriculating students. Case studies of two institutions will be presented to illustrate operationalization of the factors for success.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Tracy Chapman, Collegis Education

Dr. Chapman is a strategic leader with over two decades of experience in higher education. She believes in the power of innovation to increase access to education, to improve lives and to leave our communities and our world better than we found it. Serving as Chief Academic Officer for Collegis Education, Dr. Chapman works with higher education leaders to support their vision for the future, to realize enrollment growth, to diversify revenue sources, and to reach a broader audience of learners. Prior to joining Collegis Education Dr. Chapman served as the Dean for the School for Professional Studies and the Center for Workforce Development at Saint Louis University. During her tenure as Dean the School reversed years of declining enrollment and increased student retention by over 15%, and the Workforce Center continued to realized revenue growth even through the pandemic. From 1999-2017 Dr. Chapman served in a variety of roles at Creighton University including the Executive Director for the Center for Academic Innovation which focused on building organizational capacity to support distance education. During her tenure at Creighton, the University’s distance education programs grew from 2 to 30 spanning a variety of disciplines including health sciences, business, humanities and interprofessional education. Before moving to the higher education arena, Dr. Chapman taught special education for grades 1-5 in Amarillo, Texas and Yutan, Nebraska. Dr. Chapman received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Internet-based education, her Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from West Texas A&M University, a teaching certificate from Southwest Texas State University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance from the University of South Carolina. Chapman has authored/co-authored articles and book chapters on the pedagogy of teaching online. She has presented numerous workshops locally, nationally and internationally, with the purpose of preparing faculty for moving their teaching and learning to the online environment.

Co-presenter: Troy Hargrove, Saint Louis University - School for Professional Studies

Co-presenter: Eric Lloyd, Denison University

Extended Abstract

Session Outcomes: By the conclusion of the session participants will:
• Identify six key organizational factors underpinning successful microcredential initiatives
• Identify six key organizational functions necessary for successful microcredential programming
• Identify key factors employers seek when deciding to partner with a higher education institution

Session Abstract:
Hardly a day goes by without the topic of microcredentials appearing in higher education publications. What are they, how do we define them, do students really want them, what institutions are offering them and how are they doing so… the list of topics goes on.

Determining student demand, actual demand versus the hype, is critically important when determining if you should create and launch microcredentials. Equally important is determining employer demand. Do employers value microcredentials? What are employers’ perspectives on microcredentials from colleges and universities?

A recent survey of 500+ human resource professionals conducted by UPCEA and Collegis Education found over two-thirds of employers would like to collaborate with a higher education partner to develop and deliver microcredentials. Many employers dedicate resources to fostering relationships with higher education institutions. For example, Intel’s Digital Readiness Program partners with post-secondary institutions to establish programs in artificial intelligence. The University Medical Center of El Paso is partnering with select post-secondary institutions in the state to increase access to nursing programs.

Conversations with higher education leaders tell us they want to partner with employers to support talent development needs. However, leaders also tell us attempts to create meaningful university-employer collaborations often do not meet expectations. Insufficient resources and expertise as well as the inability to deliver customized education solutions in the timeframe required by employers result in lackluster enrollments.

Generating a meaningful amount of revenue from microcredential programming requires enrollments at scale. The highly competitive non-credit market has driven down the price, microcredentials by design are short-bursts of education completed in a manner of weeks or months. Therefore, the smaller amount of revenue realized from each enrollment must be offset by a greater number of enrollments. Traditional marketing and recruitment efforts rarely yield the scale of enrollments necessary to generate a material increase revenue. Partnerships with major employers to support their talent needs can provide a sustainable stream of enrollments in your microcredential programs.

Substantial higher ed-employer partnerships often start with the president and CEO, or a board member and CEO, identifying a mutually beneficial opportunity. Commitment on the part of both parties to create the partnership provides a strong foundation for success. Expertise and resources dedicated to fostering the partnership, meeting the expectations of the employer partner, and delivering the education and training are critical to sustain a long-term partnership.

Institutions seeking to launch microcredential programming, should consider the following key organizational factors for success.

• Strategic: Establish microcredential enrollment as an institutional strategic goal, success will depend on alignment with units across the institution.
• Commitment: Clear and resolute commitment from the president, provost and other institutional senior leaders signals to stakeholders the importance of the initiative
• Funding: Institutional commitment to providing sufficient startup funding and a realistic return on investment timeframe
• Active Engagement: Active engagement of institutional senior leaders and board of trustee members to make C-Suite connections within industries to create substantial partnerships
• Organizational Unit: Create an organizational unit dedicated to developing and delivering microcredentials. Hire staff experienced in serving the employer market and/or engage external partners to provide specific expertise. Provide the unit the autonomy necessary to serve the employer market, to operate outside of the typical institutional processes. The specific roles and functions of the unit vary based on institutional
• Technology Ecosystem: Create/leverage existing technologies designed specifically to serve the micro-credential learner. SIS, LMS, CRM systems must be designed for short-term, flexible courses.

Key functions required to develop and deliver microcredentials at scale in partnership with major employers are similar to those for learners enrolled in degree or certificate programs. However, to effectively support the microcredential market, each function is nuanced to serve employer partners and the learners.

• Business Development: Business development functions include identifying employers for potential partnerships, creating the initial partnerships, marketing programs to employees, managing the partnership, and seeking opportunities to expand the partnership.
• Technology Ecosystem: Management and support for the technology ecosystem to ensure employer partners and learners have an exceptional experience. This includes providing learners a frictionless experience for administrative functions and accessing learning experiences.
• Analytics and Administration: Careful tracking and management of progress toward ROI goals, tracking learner progress and satisfaction, providing relevant reporting to employer partners and to internal stakeholders
• Learner Experience: Learner experience functions encompass the learner’s journey from the point of inquiry to the point of completing a course or program, including upselling additional courses/programs to completers.
• Development & Delivery: This function encompasses design and development of microcredential courses, identify of subject matter experts to inform course content and design, identification of/evaluation of instructors, and course scheduling.

Establishing the internal organizational and functional structures and processes increase an institution’s likelihood of successfully partnering with employers. It positions the institution to offer employers a compelling partnership opportunity.
Employers are bombarded daily with messages from external parties trying to get their attention. To get an employer's attention, institutions can ensure their messaging addresses the main points employers care about, including:

• Relevancy: Clearly identify the employer’s business problem that could be solved by partnering with the institution. Include the ability to customize a solution specifically for the employer.
• Currency: Evidence that the partnership and resulting microcredentials are keeping pace with industry needs.
• Simplicity: Evidence that the institution will make the partnership a streamlined experience for the employer.
• Stackability: Illustrate how microcredentials can serve as ladders to larger credentials, certificates, and/or degrees.

Creating and offering microcredentials can generate meaningful additional enrollments and revenue for higher education institutions. However, doing so requires structures, processes, and partnerships different from those typically used to support matriculating students. Case studies of two institutions will be presented to illustrate operationalization of the factors for success.