From curriculum to technology concerns, consider these essentials for creating alternative education opportunities at your institution. Call them badges, short courses, certificates, microcredentials or nanodegrees, but no matter the name, these short, focused academic programs are a higher education hot topic. Just as learners are looking to reskill or upskill in the face of the changing employment market, institutions are looking for new education pathways to counteract shrinking traditional enrollment numbers. Short microcredential programs allow students to gain new skills without committing to a full degree program and they are an avenue for institutions looking to increase enrollment, boost revenue, and most importantly meet the needs of today's learner.
