Skill-based courses create job-ready grads, says Coursera report

As many as 95 per cent of higher education leaders in India agree that micro-credentials strengthen students’ career outcomes, indicating a shift towards skill-based education, according to a recent report by edtech platform Coursera.

 

Micro-credentials are short, certified courses of assessed learning that are additional to a formal educational degree.

 

Over half (52 per cent) of Indian institutions offering micro-credentials now provide them for academic credit, and nearly all (94 per cent) plan to do so within the next five years, Coursera’s Micro-Credentials Impact Report 2024 - India Edition stated.

 

This trend is supported by the National Credit Framework (NCrF) under India’s National Education Policy (NEP), which enables students to "earn transferable credits for both academic studies and skill-based learning."

 

 

Notably, 88 per cent of Indian leaders—exceeding the global average of 75 per cent—believed students are more likely to enrol in programmes offering academic credit for industry-recognised credentials. Additionally, 9 in 10 Indian leaders agreed that micro-credentials improve student engagement and satisfaction while positioning their institutions as innovators in higher education.

 

Findings of the report were based on a survey of over 180 higher education leaders in India, which was part of a global study of over 1,000 leaders across more than 850 institutions.

 

The report showed that 21 per cent of Indian learners secured new jobs, and 32 per cent reported salary increases after completing entry-level professional certificates.

 

“Feedback from students, employers, and higher education institutions highlights the growing importance of micro-credentials in aligning university education with employer needs and fostering strong employment outcomes,” said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, India and Asia Pacific, Coursera.

 

“The National Credit Framework (NCrF) accelerates the adoption of these pathways by promoting credit recognition, opening more opportunities for learners to pursue skills-based careers,” he added.

 

The research also suggested that some educational leaders are finding it difficult to embrace new approaches to learning through micro-credentials.

 

“To fully realise the potential of micro-credentials in India, collaboration is key. We’re working closely with regulators and our industry partners to address quality concerns by securing credit recommendations. At the same time, institutions must engage faculty to seamlessly integrate these programmes into existing curricula,” added Gupta.

 

Primary barriers to successful integration of micro-credentials included uncertainty about the quality of micro-credentials (26 per cent), resistance from faculty due to the shift from traditional methods (24 per cent), and difficulties integrating micro-credentials with existing curricula (15 per cent).