UPCEA Study Says More Than 90 Percent of Institutions Offer Alternative Credentials - Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

Millennial students seem to prefer badging and certificate programs to traditional bachelor’s degrees, according to a new study from University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), Pennsylvania State University and Pearson that explored the role that alternative credentials play in higher education. “Demographic Shifts in Educational Demand and the Rise of Alternative Credentials” reveals that programs offering alternative credentialing have become widespread in higher education, with 94 percent of the institutions reporting they offer alternative credentials. Alternative credentials can take the form of digital badges, certificates and micro-credentials. The study was conducted by Jim Fong, director of UPCEA’s Center for Research Marketing Strategy; Kyle Peck, director of the Center for Online Innovation in Learning and a professor at Penn State; and Peter Janzow, senior director of business development at Pearson’s Acclaim. https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/06/29/study-says-more-than-90-percent-of-institutions-offer-alternative-credentials.aspx