A Community College’s Guide to Building Strong Partnerships – Education Design Lab
Credential Registry Badge Publisher Tool — Credential Engine
Overview The Credential Registry Badge Publisher Tool, developed by Credential Engine, helps organizations publish detailed Open Badge information within the Credential Registry. This tool allows issuers to map badge metadata […]
Indiana Partnership with Credential Engine
Overview The Indiana Partnership with Credential Engine is a statewide initiative to enhance credential transparency and accessibility for learners, employers, and educators. The initiative is driven by the Indiana Commission […]
Experience You – Education Design Lab & T3 Innovation Network
Overview Launched in January 2023 by the Education Design Lab (the Lab) and the T3 Innovation Network, the Experience You initiative explores how new technologies can convert massive amounts of […]
American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, Learning and Employment Records — White House & T3 Innovation Network
Overview On July 17, 2018, President Trump issued Executive Order 13845 which established the National Council for the American Worker (NCAW). This interagency council was charged with drafting a national […]
Southeastern Regional Talent Ecosystem Pilot – AACRAO, Tennessee, Alabama
Overview In September 2024, the Southeastern Regional Talent Ecosystem Pilot launched with the aim to bridge the talent gap and enhance employment opportunities in the Southeastern U.S. Partners include the […]
Issuer Registries in Practice: Credential Engine & Digital Credentials Consortium Collaboration
Overview The Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC) and Credential Engine are collaborating on a 2024-2025 initiative to explore the governance and technology needs for issuer registries being used within Learning and […]
Leveraging AI for Skills Extraction & Research (LAiSER) – George Washington University
Overview In 2023, the Program on Skills, Credentials & Workforce Policy at the George Washington University launched a project to help learners, educators, and employers share trusted and mutually intelligible […]
Administrative Data Repository on the Skilled Technical Workforce – George Washington University
Overview In September 2021, the Program on Skills, Credentials & Workforce Policy (PSCWP) at George Washington University launched a two-year project with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to […]
LER Resource Library – T3 Innovation Network
Overview In August 2024, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s T3 Innovation Network issued a LER Resource Library working in collaboration with experts in learning and employment records. LERs are […]
Future of Work and the Innovation Economy (FOWIE) Initiative – New America
Overview Established in 2023 by the Center on Education and Labor at New America (CELNA), the Future of Work and the Innovation Economy (FOWIE) initiative focuses on strengthening postsecondary education, workforce, […]
Impact Funders Forum (IFF) – Pew Charitable Trusts
Overview The Transforming Evidence Funders Network (TEFN) is a network of more than 80 philanthropies and public funding agencies that convene to catalyze collection action around work at the nexus of […]
Research: State Practices Around Industry Certification (EERC Rutgers University)
Overview The Education and Employment Research Center (EERC) at Rutgers University conducted a Survey of State Practices Around Industry Certification. The aim of the study was to provide a snapshot […]
Research Report: Credentials-to-Jobs Misalignment – Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)
Overview In June 2024, the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) issued “The Great Misalignment: Addressing the Mismatch between the Supply of Certificates and Associate’s Degrees and the […]
Project Unicorn (Data Interoperability in K-12 Education)
Overview Project Unicorn is a national initiative to improve data interoperability within K-12 education. Coordinated by InnovateEDU (Brooklyn based non-profit organization), the initiative works with a coalition of organizations representing […]
Talent Pipeline Management Initiative (TPM)- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Overview The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation developed Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) in 2014 to advance authentic employer leadership in building high-performing talent pipelines. Built by business, for business, TPM […]
Work+ and Work+Collective – Consortium managed by Arizona State University
Overview The Work+ and affiliated program, Work+Collective, is a consortium of 17 two- and four-year institutions across the U.S. that are redesigning student employment. Institutions in the consortium offer a range […]
Center for Skills by C-BEN – Competency-Based Education Network
Overview In April 2024, the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) launched the Center for Skills by C-BEN (CFS x C-BEN). Supported by a $1.5 million grant from Walmart, the Center will […]
CareerNavGPT – SkillUp Coalition
Overview Launched by the SkillUp Coalition, CareerNavGPT has a mission to provide a guided and supported path to ensure that all STARs have access to high-opportunity and quality employment. CareerNacGPT […]
Initiative to Update Carnegie Classifications – ACE & Carnegie Foundation
Overview In February 2022, the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Carnegie Foundation) announced their partnership to create the next version of […]
LER Accelerator
Overview The LER Accelerator was launched in 2024 with support from Walmart. The effort is boosting the adoption of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) in postsecondary education by focusing on […]
Midwest Credential Transparency Alliance (MCTA)
Overview The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) launched The Midwest Credential Transparency Alliance (MCTA) in January 2021 to work with all 12 Midwest states to help move them along a path […]
United States Qualification Framework (USQF)
Overview In 2023-2024, the United States Qualification Framework (USQF) Advisory Council designed and developed a proposed National Qualifications Framework for the U.S. which was issued in 2024. USQF’s goal is […]
Digital-Reskilling at Universities (D-Reskill Project)
Overview The D-RESKILL@U Project, coordinated by Sorbonne Université, focuses on providing European higher education institutions with guidelines for online lifelong learning offers at the post-bachelors level for the reskilling or […]
Playbook: Technology-Integrated Credential Management (Credential As You Go)
Overview Credential As You Go is an initiative working with many partners toward a nationally recognized transferable incremental credentialing system that increases the number of high-quality, post-high school credentials that […]
College Excellence Program — The Aspen Institute
Overview The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to advance higher education practices, policies, and leadership in ways that help institutions of higher education make the choices that matter most […]
Pathsmith™ (Durable Skills Advantage Framework) – America Succeeds
Overview Launched Jan. 17, 2024, the Durable Skills Advantage Framework is an employer-generated common lexicon for essential non-technical skills. The Framework is viewed as an important step in addressing education […]
Credential Chats – AACRAO
Overview The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) launched a communications initiative in early 2024 called “Understanding the Future of Credentials – Credential Chats.” The goal of […]
Building Rural Innovation, Designing Educational Strategies (BRIDGES) & The Rural College Practitioner Design & Data Academies
Overview BRIDGES (Building Rural Innovation, Designing Educational Strategies) is a 3-year initiative launched in 2020 by the Education Design Lab. The initiative focuses on strengthening the capacity of rural community […]
Noncredit Mobility Academy
Overview In December 2023, Education Strategy Group, SHEEO (State Higher Education Executive Officers Association), and Opportunity America at the Progressive Policy Institute launched the Noncredit Mobility Academy. The two-year Academy […]
Hallmarks of Excellence in Credential Innovation – UPCEA
Overview Developed by the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), the Hallmarks of Excellence in Credential Innovation are a collection of best practices and aspirational goals that can help […]
Frontier Set
Overview Frontier Set was a national initiative (2015-2021) comprised of colleges, universities, state systems of higher education, and supporting organizations committed to (1) transforming how institutions operate by eliminating race, […]
Degrees When Due (DWD) – Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP)
Overview Degrees When Due (DWD) was an initiative launched in 2018 by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) to help more than 200 participating institutions across more than 20 […]
Workforce Equity Dashboard & Advancing Workforce Equity Guide – National Fund for Workforce Solutions
Overview The Workforce Equity Dashboard is part of a toolkit developed by the National Fund for Workforce Solutions to equip workforce leaders, disruptors, and changemakers with actionable data and resources […]
Inventory of Community College Baccalaureate Degree Programs
Overview Currently, 25 states allow their community colleges by legislative action to offer some baccalaureate degrees: California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, […]
SmartResume – iDatafy LLC
Overview SmartResume is a new type of resume that recognizes the three-sided marketplace (ecosystem) connecting job seekers, higher education institutions, and employers using the power of digital credentials. Partners such […]
Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) Standard — 1EdTech Consortium
Overview The 1EdTech Consortium established a Comprehensive Learning Record (CLR) Working Group to collaborate around CLR developments and transition CLR 1.0 to CLR 2.0 (learning and employment records – LER). Major […]
CASE Network: Competencies and Academic Standards Exchange® (CASE®) – 1EdTech Consortium
Overview The 1EdTech Consortium launched the Competencies and Academic Standards Exchange CASE Network) with the mission that all state academic standards and national learning standards should be in the CASE […]
Catalyze Registry
Overview On November 2, 2022, President Biden announced commitments made by more than 350 organizations in 50 states and territories as part of the Infrastructure Talent Pipeline Challenge (nationwide call […]
Data Collaborative for a Skills-based Economy (Data Collab) — Education Design Lab
Overview The Data Collaborative for a Skills-based Economy (Data Collab) is a data hub that connects and aggregates data across a range of data sources to uncover how new education-to-work […]
Stackability Guide
Overview In February 2023, Education Strategy Group issued the Stackability Guide. The Guide is designed to help higher education leaders examine their internal processes related to stackability and provide guidance […]
Mapping Learning & Employment Records (LERs)
Overview The Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC), hosted at MIT Open Learning, is partnering with NationSwell (a B Corp dedicated to providing essential support to impact-driven leaders and organizations through a […]
The State of Digital Credentials 2022 Guide & 2024 State of Credentialing Report (Accredible)
Overview Accredible issued The State of Digital Credentials 2022 Guide in August 2022, and the 2024 State of Credentialing Report in July 2024. The Guide explores the landscape of digital […]
Bendable (Lifelong Learning Platform) – Bendable Labs & Drucker Institute
Overview Bendable is a community-powered learning marketplace. It operates a lifelong learning platform that was established initially in 2020 to allow residents of all ages and backgrounds in South Bend, […]
Tracking Transfer & Transfer Playbook 2.0 — The Aspen Institute & Community College Research Center
Overview The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and Community College Research Center launched a two-year new project in fall 2022 to deliver the “second edition” of the Transfer Playbook, made […]
Open Syllabus
Overview Open Syllabus is a non-profit research organization that collects and analyzes millions of syllabi (any detailed account of an academic class or class section) to support novel teaching and […]
Industry Credentials Initiative
Overview [See also Industry Credentials & Education Performance Data System] The National Student Clearinghouse offers a service to help education and industry connect the dots between industry-based credentials, and secondary […]
ResearchDataGov (RDG) – ICPSR
Overview Launched in 2022, ResearchDataGov (RDG) is an online portal for discovering and requesting access to restricted microdata from federal statistical agencies. RDG advances the evidence-building capabilities of the federal government, […]
The LER Ecosystem Report & Ecosystem Map
Overview The Smart Report Ecosystem Map was created by iDatafy in 2022 – launched in January 2023 and updated in 2024. iDatafy originally worked with a team of digital credentialing […]
National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS)
Overview The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS), located at the University of North Georgia, is a national organization that focuses on transfer student success. NISTS operates […]
Adult Learning & Literacy Network (ALL IN)
Overview The Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network (ALL IN) is a collective impact initiative that was formed in 2022 to address America’s adult literacy and learning issues: About 43 […]
HBCUv
Overview HBCUv is a multi-year initiative that is building a virtual e-learning ecosystem for Black colleges and universities. With institutional partners and tech innovators, HBCUv’s pilot launched Fall 2023 with nine […]
Wellspring Initiative, Phases 1 & 2 — 1EdTech
Overview The Wellspring Initiative from 1EdTech Foundation (Phase 1 in 2020, Phase 2 in 2021) is a multiyear program that seeks to create an open, scalable foundation for a lifelong […]
1EdTech’s Digital Credentials Learn & Lead Roundtables
Overview 1EdTech’s expert-led Digital Credentials Learn & Lead Roundtables provide knowledge and resources for institutional leaders driving credentialing programs and initiatives at their institution—sharing best practices from planning to implementation. […]
Centralized DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Education Research Platform
Overview In November 2021, the National Student Clearinghouse launched a new research-focused diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) online initiative. With support from the Cognizant Foundation, the initiative works to build a long-term, collaborative environment […]
Industry Credentials & Education Performance Data System
Overview The National Student Clearinghouse launched the Industry Credentials and Education Performance Data System in February 2020. The new service brought together for the first time academic and industry credentials […]
State Authorization Network (SAN)
Overview In spring 2011, WCET (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies) created the State Authorization Network (SAN) to serve institutions and organizations nationwide by providing training, support, and opportunities to collaborate to navigate […]
The Good Jobs Project
Overview Launched in 2017, the Good Jobs Project research project conducted by The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), with support from JPMorgan Chase, investigated the impact that […]
America Achieves’ Broadband Initiative
Overview America Achieves is a national non-profit organization that incubates, scales, and spins off non-profit initiatives and organizations; advises and shapes large-scale philanthropy and public policy; and helps to drive […]
Outcomes for Opportunity (O4O) – Jobs for the Future & Google.org
Overview Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Google.org established the Outcomes for Opportunity (O4O) initiative to enable workforce development boards and nonprofit job training providers to make better use of outcomes […]
Multi-Organization Collaborations in the Learn-and-Work Ecosystem
Skills-Driven State Community of Practice Initiative — National Governors Association
Overview The National Governors Association (NGA) supports participating states in developing skills-based pathways to opportunity. Efforts focus on quality assurance, data collection, and the connection to good jobs. In the […]
AACRAO Digital Interoperability Initiative
Overview To achieve digital interoperability, institutions require incentives, an effort to reach consensus, technical and other resources, and effective student information systems. Such systems must be able to seamlessly ingest […]
Micro-Pathway Design Initiative — Alamo Colleges District
Overview The Micro-Pathway Design Initiative at the Alamo Colleges District (Texas) invites college faculty and staff to form design teams and draft learning pathways composed of credentials that stack toward […]
EDUCAUSE Microcredentialing
Overview EDUCAUSE offers microcredentials to member audiences for participation in various professional development activities. EDUCAUSE microcredentials recognize an individual’s achievements, expertise and skill acquisition, engagement, and volunteer service with EDUCAUSE […]
Understanding the Landscape of Industry Certifications
Overview Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, in partnership with Workcred and the George Washington Institute of Public Policy, conducted a two-year study to unpack the complex diversity of certifications. The […]
Credential As You Go
Overview The Credential As You Go initiative focuses on building an incremental credentialing system, recognizing the value in many types of quality credentials, including degrees, certificates, industry certifications, licenses, badges, […]
Comprehensive Learner Records Standard Working Group
Overview A web-friendly interoperable digital record, Comprehensive Learning Record (CLR), is designed to be flexible enough to support a wide range of use cases to meet the needs of students, […]
Certification-Degree Pathways Project (Workcred, UPCEA, APLU)
Overview Higher education faculty and staff are often unfamiliar with industry certifications. They likely do not know which certifications, when paired with an undergraduate degree (particularly one in the liberal […]
Alabama Partnership with Credential Engine
Overview Leaders in Alabama are developing a statewide Credential Registry as a state-specific subset of the global Credential Registry. They are using the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) available from […]