Kicking Off Micro-credentials in AI and Data for Non-Tech Students

Recently, I had the opportunity to dive back into the conceptualization and design of a workshop on integrating micro-credentials into graduate programs focused on #ArtificialIntelligence and #Data for #nontech students. The #participatory design methodology proved invaluable for this first foray into designing these micro-credentials and pathways for non-tech students, as there are few precedents. This is also the note to thank first champions of Digital Skills to Succeed in Asia project in India. You have trusted, brought your creativity, optimism and humor to make this first milestone meaningful.

This workshop was crucial for setting the tone and future direction of these micro-credentials. The workshop saw the participation from university leaders, faculty, industry and civil society organizations. Some of the key questions involved:

1?? What are micro-credentials, and can they enhance graduate employability?

Special thanks to Dominic Orr for bringing a global perspective to this workshop. A key takeaway for me has been that micro-credentials can provide bite-sized, bundled learning to make graduate programs more agile, responding quickly to tech and market changes. They also need to be contextualized and locally defined.

2?? What could make micro-credentials different from short-term courses Indian context?

• The universities delved into the possibilities of regulatory and institutional measures required in this direction. Clear credit definition and alignment with graduate curricula would help students benefit
• Complementary bite-sized learning chunks would enhance student employability alongside graduate learning
• Essential collaboration between industry and academia for validation is needed. ??
• Micro-credentials call for a shift towards a demand-based curriculum design and delivery, moving away from supply-based models. ??
• Faculty and institutional agility and openness are crucial for success.

3?? What could a micro-credential curriculum on AI and Data from a non-tech perspective look like? ??

Thanks to incredible Jibu Elias and John Samuel Raja Duraipandy who not only brought their optimism, belief and expertise but also put together an eclectic and esteemed expert group on AI and Data respectively. The group played an extremely valuable role in curating the structure while keeping the student learning at the center. There were discussions on the content, student outreach, institutional training requirements, validation and sustainability. A key focus has been on pathways and practical elements to help students showcase and apply their skillsets in real-world settings. ?? A special shout out to Aishwarya G. Gaurav Godhwani Dr. B. Spoorthi . Supriya Bhuwalka Dr. Vinayak Abrol Rajendran Narayanan Pratap Vardhan Akshi Chawla Ajay Palle for their valuable time on these discussions. Abeer K. thank you bringing the humor and sharp inputs on the #gamified approach to delivering these micro-credentials.

A heartfelt gratitude to the universities #IGNOU #JamiaMilliaIslamia #BHU #ChristUniversity #HansrajCollege #MSSU that have trusted us in this journey and contributed intensively during the two-day process in co-creating solutions and answering these questions. Very thankful for your willingness to experiment with different learning formats to make students' educational journeys more meaningful and outcome oriented. ?? Uma Kanjilal Prof. (Dr.) Rihan Khan Suri Ashutosh Mohan Dr. Apoorva Palkar Alka Kacker Surya Kiran

Thanks to Seema Joshi Dibyayan Datta Nagesh Singh Joyce Poan ; your presence really added an on-ground demand perspective to the whole workshop.

As this is a pilot, we aim to make the courses and levels as cross-cutting as possible with the support of German universities. ?

Prof. (Dr.) Rihan Khan Suri thank you for being a mentor and giving your unwavering support to this initiative from day one.The incredible support of Juhi Bansal as the lead #learningdesigner, her perceptiveness and visual tools for each session brought everything together seamlessly. Thank you, Juhi! ????

Most of all, a big thanks to Sabrina Garcia who has given me the space, support and trust to put together this workshop. My colleagues @Anjali Singhania Mehar Kaur Chani Raj have been instrumental in bringing this vision to life with their unwavering dedication and collaboration.

If you’re ready to bring disruption to your institution through micro-credentials, let’s connect for a lively discussion! ??