95% Of Indian Higher Ed Leaders Support Micro-Credentials: Coursera Report

India is leading the global shift toward skill-based education, with 95 per cent of higher education leaders in the country agreeing that micro-credentials strengthen students’ career outcomes, according to Coursera’s Micro-Credentials Impact Report 2024 - India Edition. 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. 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.

Based on insights from a survey of over 180 higher education leaders in India, part of a global study of 1,000 plus leaders across 850 plus institutions, the report highlights the transformative impact of micro-credentials. These credentials are key to enhancing student satisfaction, strengthening institutional reputation and driving enrollment and retention. Notably, 88 per cent of Indian leaders—exceeding the global average of 75 per cent believe students are more likely to enroll in programmes offering academic credit for industry-recognised credentials. Additionally, 9 in 10 Indian leaders agree that micro-credentials improve student engagement and satisfaction while positioning their institutions as innovators in higher education.

Coursera’s Learner Outcome Report 2023 also underscored the benefits of micro-credentials, revealing that 21 per cent of Indian learners secured new jobs, and 32 per cent reported salary increases after completing entry-level professional certificates. Across India, universities like Vishwakarma University (Pune), Kumaraguru School of Innovation (Coimbatore), IMS Ghaziabad and the Model Institute of Engineering and Technology (Jammu) are supplementing traditional degree programmes with industry-specific micro-credentials to produce job-ready graduates and enhance the professional growth of both alumni and faculty. 

The research also suggests that some educational leaders are finding it difficult to embrace new approaches to learning through micro-credentials. Primary barriers to successful integration of micro-credentials include:

Uncertainty about the quality of micro-credentials (26 per cent)

Resistance from faculty due to shift from traditional methods (24 per cent)

 Difficulties integrating micro-credentials with existing curriculum (15 per cent) 

Methodology

These findings are from Coursera’s 2024 Micro-Credentials Impact Report. This is based on a Coursera survey of over 1,000 higher education leaders, including 180 plus from India, representing 850 plus institutions across 89 countries. The survey reveals the transformative impact of micro-credentials and their growing role in enhancing curricula on campuses. The sample covered six major regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.