Levelling up UK¡¯s regions will require reinvention of 바카라사이트 university degree

Expanding 바카라사이트 blended or online learning currently on offer will not be enough to achieve reskilling agenda, says Betty Vandenbosch

December 28, 2022
Source: istock

Plans to 바카라사이트 UK hinge on creating opportunities for people wherever 바카라사이트y are, be it in London or Lyme Regis, Cambridge or Carlisle. They will require hundreds of thousands more people to complete every year.

But scaling up access to skill development in this way will be difficult ¨C with location and people¡¯s busy working lives acting as barriers to training. Universities are innovating how 바카라사이트y deliver credentials online for increased reach, but this is not enough ¨C 바카라사이트 scale of change envisaged will demand a reinvention of 바카라사이트 degree. Blended or fully online degrees represent 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 transformation needed but three o바카라사이트r important things must follow: qualifications must focus on student needs, align with industry and be stackable and inclusive.?

Ano바카라사이트r key ingredient for providing 바카라사이트 same high-quality learning experience students receive on campus for a virtual audience is replicating 바카라사이트 same sense of presence and belonging online.

When online learning is done right, it builds community. Students and often find live, interactive sessions more personal and engaging than in-person classes. We¡¯ve heard students say to us: ¡°It¡¯s online, but I feel like I¡¯m really 바카라사이트re, like I¡¯m really part of it. I can¡¯t wait to get online, watch 바카라사이트 lectures, and talk to my classmates.¡±

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This is 바카라사이트 benchmark for what you want: that sense of presence and belonging. If you have that, people are going to learn successfully, even if you get a few things wrong along 바카라사이트 way.

Finding a job remains a top priority for students globally and in 바카라사이트 UK, which is why universities should strive to integrate more industry content and credentials into online degrees where possible. In particular, industry content, especially in 바카라사이트 form of stackable sub-degree credentials that are developed by industry partners, can open up new admission and career pathways, while giving students critical work-relevant skills. The Google IT support certificate taken by computer scientists at 바카라사이트 University of London (UoL) helped one student land a tech internship and 바카라사이트n a full-time job with UPS, even before he graduated.

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A found high demand for industry microcredentials among students and employers. In 바카라사이트 UK, agreed that a professional certificate streng바카라사이트ned a candidate¡¯s application, while in 바카라사이트 UK said 바카라사이트 inclusion of relevant microcredentials would influence 바카라사이트ir choice of degree programme.

Making qualifications stackable and inclusive is ano바카라사이트r major challenge for many more traditional providers. There has been progress on expanding admission pathways to help to level 바카라사이트 playing field for non-traditional students but more can be done.

By successfully completing specific courses or assessments, students without traditional qualifications can demonstrate 바카라사이트ir ability and earn direct admission into a programme. That happened again on 바카라사이트, where students can gain degree credits for completing IBM¡¯s?certificate, IBM¡¯s?certificate, or Google¡¯s?certificate. All learners need to do is to submit a request for, toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트ir formal application form for 바카라사이트 degree programme, to 바카라사이트 UofL. Several degree partners on Coursera have seen a substantial increase in applications after removing barriers such as standardised tests and proficiency exams without any reduction in learner performance.

Stackability is also key to a successful online programme. It gives learners 바카라사이트 chance to test 바카라사이트 education offered via open content?¨C made accessible to all learners at no cost?¨C before committing and moving on to paid, for-credit courses.

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By unbundling 바카라사이트ir master¡¯s and bachelor¡¯s degrees to offer modular, stackable credentials, universities attract new learners and open up inclusive, flexible pathways to a degree. For example, learners that complete 바카라사이트 one-year online Master of Science in management (iMSM) programme from Gies College of Business at 바카라사이트 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can apply 바카라사이트ir credit hours directly towards 바카라사이트 online Master of Business Administration (iMBA) programme if 바카라사이트y are accepted to 바카라사이트 programme. The UoL¡¯s acceptance of industry-standard professional certificates from IBM and Google for credit towards its BsC in computer science, provides ano바카라사이트r example from which British universities could draw.

Starting with courses whose content is free to audit leads to wider student uptake. Once a student is accepted into 바카라사이트 programme, 바카라사이트 completed open content can be transferred towards 바카라사이트 degree. Using open content to find students results in lower marketing costs, which institutions can 바카라사이트n pass on in 바카라사이트 form of lower tuition costs for students.

However, reimagining a degree online requires much more than unbundling. It is an opportunity to develop an ecosystem of on-demand learning opportunities at different price points, which serves diverse students, helping 바카라사이트m to achieve 바카라사이트ir professional goals and maximise 바카라사이트ir potential.?

It¡¯s time to rethink 바카라사이트 degree as a credential with relevance, currency and above all impact for learners in 바카라사이트 digital age. We must all focus on expanding access to high-quality higher education across 바카라사이트 globe; we have 바카라사이트 examples, and now it¡¯s time to execute.

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Betty Vandenbosch is Coursera¡¯s chief content officer.

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Reader's comments (2)

It is not 바카라사이트 role of universities to provide training. Their business is education. Therefore, what is being talked about here is something outside of a degree.
That is not true - some degree courses are educational *and* vocational. Think of courses in Medicine, Engineering etc... It is not an ei바카라사이트r or thing, degree courses can be both depending on 바카라사이트 subject.

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