Skills-specific training courses can help universities to bridge gaps in their curricula, but they continue to be viewed with mistrust despite rising demand, according to an executive at edtech firm Coursera.
Marni Baker Stein, chief content officer at the company since 2022, told Times Higher Education that “there’s not a great taxonomy of trust” about what “microcredentials” can do.
She said it was incumbent on universities and companies such as hers to encourage public faith in the certificates, to show that they can transform professional opportunities.
Microcredentials, which certify competency or skill in a specific area, can be embedded within university degree courses, with proponents arguing that they enhance employability.
Coursera’s 2026 Microcredentials Impact Report, based on conversations with some 3,500 employers, students and higher education leaders, found that 87 per cent of graduates with microcredentials report “securing a role aligned to their field” within 12 months of leaving university.
