The Non-Degree Credentials Research Network (NCRN) is a project funded through a grant from Lumina Foundation and managed by researchers at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy (GWIPP). The NCRN is a multi-disciplinary community of scholars, practitioners and policymakers that focuses on the little-understood role of certificates, certifications and other non-degree credentials in the labor market. If you are interested in joining NCRN, please contact Kyle Albert at GWIPP or use the self-service web form to add yourself to our email list.
Fall 2023 Webinar Schedule
A New Approach to Financing Microcredentials
Tuesday, September 19 - 1pm EDT
Building on a recent Talent Finance workgroup co-chaired by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), this session - led by Jason Tyszko of the Chamber Foundation - will explore a new and transformational approach to upskilling and reskilling through the reimagining of employee education benefits. Join this session to learn more about how the Chamber Foundation’s plans to develop and test a new type of employer-backed skills savings account that can enable quick and easy access to skill development opportunities for working learners. In addition, this session will explore how this new finance innovation can help scale the issuing and use of LERs.
Zoom Information:
https://gwu-edu.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 992 1899 5501
Postbaccalaureate Credentials and Certificates: What do we Know? What do we Want to Know?
Thursday, October 12 - 1pm EDT
Matthew Linton and Enyu Zhou of the Council of Graduate Schools will present an exploration of the landscape of post-baccalaureate non-degree credentials and highlight key remaining research questions. They will present research conducted by the CGS that aims to understand why these programs are being developed, who is enrolling in them, whether they compete with or complement existing degrees, what skills and competencies are most in demand, and how these programs meet employer need. Better understanding this blended credential ecosystem is the first step in assessing program value for students and employers as well as creating best practices to guide program creation and assessment.
Zoom Information:
https://gwu-edu.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 986 8165 7717
The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World
Tuesday, November 28 - 1pm EST
Click here to learn more about Michael's new book, The Abundant University, and order it before the webinar!
Recent Webinar
Webinar on the Digitalization of Credentials and Skills (Tuesday, August 8 - 1:00pm EDT)
Sean Gallagher and Ellen Stoddard from Northeastern University’s Center for the Future of Higher Education & Talent Strategy shared findings from several recent studies focused on the digital credentialing landscape and the emergence of the “skillstech” market. Each study explored the evolution of employer practices and the implications of those practices for postsecondary institutions and other learning providers. They shared insights focused on the implications of their research for participants in the ecosystem, as well as their perspectives on opportunities for future research related to employer and institutional adoption of microcredentials and the growth of skills-based hiring.
NCRN Spring Conference Recap
Thanks to all 130+ of you who attended the NCRN's spring conference, either in-person or online. Click below for powerpoint presentations from the conference, and be sure to subscribe to our e-mail list to be among the first to know about future NCRN events!
Conference Compendium and "State of the Field" Report
Click below to access a compendium of transcripts from select sessions at our 2023 Spring Conference and the cumulative report associated with our 2021-23 grant cycle, Recent Developments and New Opportunities for Non-degree Credentialing Research.
Who are we?
We are a network of researchers working on various types of non-degree credentialing including licenses, certifications, apprenticeships, certificates, and micro-credentials. The NCRN includes experts from higher education institutions, research firms, and nonprofit organizations, among others.
2022 Spring Conference Compendium
Click here to download a compendium of session transcripts and summaries from our April 2022 conference, Non-degree Credentials on the Move. The compendium covers each of our six core panels: international developments, skills-based hiring, public policy, higher education, data systems and the Credential As You Go initiative. We sincerely thank all of our panelists for a truly informative and valuable conference!
Other Reports and Resources
New Directions for Non-degree Credentialing Research - Stakeholder Summary
Non-Degree Credentials Literature Scan
NCRN 2022 Winter Meeting
Representatives of several research organizations met on December 2, 2022 to present updates on key research projects and policy initiatives underway. Slides from selected presentations are available via the links below:
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
- Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce
- Jobs for the Future
- National Skills Coalition
- National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
- Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center
- Workcred
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation
- Harvard University Program on Workforce
In addition, Andrew Reamer moderated a discussion with Elisabeth Reynolds on credentials and U.S. industrial policy. Slides from Andrew's presentation.
Other Past Events
Please refer to the collapsible menu at the bottom of the "Member Resources" page to view past webinar descriptions and slides.
Project Staff
Kyle Albert - Assistant Research Professor
Holly Zanville - Research Professor
Read the latest NCRN newsletter