The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), defines learning mobility as ensuring equitable and accessible programs and opportunities that prepare all learners for the workforce and beyond. In December 2021, AACRAO, the American Council on Education (ACE), and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) issued a Joint Statement on the Transfer and Award of Credit directed to college and universities about the award of academic credit for learning acquired elsewhere. The statement recognizes that in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape and increase in student mobility and extra-institutional learning, it is critical that higher education institutions support credit award policies based on equity-minded practice and principles. Institutions are encouraged to conduct an audit of their credit award policies and practices, including surveying transfer students to learn about their experiences navigating policies at their institutions; then use that information and a framework outlined in the Statement to help learners who increasingly rely on nonlinear paths to earn a college credential.

An AACRAO 2023 study found that a majority of the higher education institutions in their membership consider innovative credentialing of some type and learning mobility as priorities. This confirms AACRAO’s focus on facilitating seamless evaluation and documentation of learning, since AACRAO members play a key role in implementing policies and practices aimed at alleviating issues related to transfer, credit mobility, and the recognition of learning – the main indicators of learning mobility.

See:

• https://www.aacrao.org/signature-initiatives/learning-mobility
• https://www.aacrao.org/docs/default-source/statements-and-letters/2021-joint-statement-award-of-credit0c480d4a6f724decbf3433f190b42ee8.pdf?sfvrsn=dccf29d8_1