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Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education to grow by USD 1.8 Billion from 2025-2029, driven by skills gap expansion, Report on AI-powered market evolution – Technavio

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NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Report on how AI is driving market transformation – The global alternative credentials market for higher education size is estimated to grow by USD 1.8 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of  15.3%  during the forecast period. Widening skills gap is driving market growth, with a trend towards rise in non-traditional offerings. However, threat from traditional degree program providers  poses a challenge. Key market players include 2U Inc., Bisk Ventures, Carroll Community College Foundation Inc., City and Guilds Group, Coursera Inc., Credly Inc., JPMorgan Chase and Co., New York State Education Department, NIIT Ltd., NorthEastern University, Pearson Plc, Purdue University Global, Simplilearn, Strategic Education Inc., Temple University, Udacity Inc., Udemy Inc., University of Michigan, University Professional and Continuing Education Association, and XuetangX.

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Alternative Credentials Market For Higher Education Scope

Report Coverage

Details

Base year

2024

Historic period

2019 – 2023

Forecast period

2025-2029

Growth momentum & CAGR

Accelerate at a CAGR of 15.3%

Market growth 2025-2029

USD 1837.3 million

Market structure

Fragmented

YoY growth 2022-2023 (%)

13.3

Regional analysis

North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa

Performing market contribution

North America at 51%

Key countries

US, Germany, UK, China, Canada, France, Italy, India, Japan, and South Korea

Key companies profiled

2U Inc., Bisk Ventures, Carroll Community College Foundation Inc., City and Guilds Group, Coursera Inc., Credly Inc., JPMorgan Chase and Co., New York State Education Department, NIIT Ltd., NorthEastern University, Pearson Plc, Purdue University Global, Simplilearn, Strategic Education Inc., Temple University, Udacity Inc., Udemy Inc., University of Michigan, University Professional and Continuing Education Association, and XuetangX

Market Driver

Digital badges and micro-credentials are becoming increasingly popular in the higher education sector. These non-traditional credentials validate and attest to specific skills and competencies, providing flexible learning opportunities for adult learners. With flexible timespans and various formats like online, hybrid, and customized programs, these credentials cater to the demands of the workforce and professional learning. Employers value these credentials for their portability, transferability, and practical value in addressing skill gaps and career advancement. Tech companies like TechCred and Microsoft are leading the way in this digital transformation, offering credit-bearing and non-credit stackable credentials. Traditional degrees and certificates still hold importance, but alternative credentials provide a more accessible and flexible pathway for learners. These credentials offer rigorous learning outcomes and are relevant to technology jobs and other in-demand professions. Post-secondary institutions are innovating by offering these alternative credentials to meet the needs of the knowledge-based economy and the Great Resignation. The revenue growth potential is significant as learners seek to upskill and reskill for employment opportunities. Accessibility, flexibility, and practical value are key benefits of alternative credentials. Blockchain technology and machine learning are enhancing the learning experience by providing personalized learning paths and digital badges for completion of learning activities. Employers are recognizing the value of these non-traditional credentials, making them an essential component of professional development and continuing education for non-matriculated students. The future of education is about providing relevant skills for the labor market and preparing professionals for career-oriented opportunities. 

The alternative credentials market in higher education is experiencing significant growth as learners seek flexible and affordable educational opportunities. This market encompasses various non-traditional offerings, such as graduate and undergraduate certificate programs, training courses, continuing education units, and micro-credentials. These programs are issued through an alternative credentialing system and are accessible via channels distinct from those offering traditional degrees. Providers of these courses include baccalaureate colleges, universities, community colleges, and doctorate-granting universities, operating in both public and private sectors. The agility of these programs allows providers to create and launch non-credit courses more swiftly than traditional degree programs, as they do not adhere to regulatory mandates. 

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 Market Challenges

Alternative credentials, such as digital badges and micro-credentials, are gaining popularity in higher education as they offer flexible and practical solutions for adult learners seeking to upskill or reskill for the changing workforce. These non-traditional credentials validate and attest to specific skills and competencies, making them highly portable and transferable across industries. Unlike traditional degrees with long timespans, alternative credentials offer flexible learning pathways, including online and hybrid options, that cater to the needs of professional learners. Employers value these credentials for their relevance to workforce demands and rigorous learning outcomes. TechCred, stackable credentials, and micro-credentials are becoming increasingly important in tech jobs, where skills gaps and digital transformation are driving employment opportunities. Post-secondary institutions are responding by offering customized programs and credit-bearing and non-credit options to meet the diverse needs of their audience. The challenges of validating and attesting these credentials are being addressed through digital badges and blockchain technology, ensuring portability, transferability, and employer recognition. With the Great Resignation and the increasing importance of lifelong learning in a knowledge-based economy, alternative credentials offer flexible and accessible educational opportunities for professionals seeking career advancement and employment opportunities.The alternative credentials market in higher education is experiencing instability due to the increasing collaboration between education service providers and institutions offering hybrid programs and courses. These alternative credentials provide a flexible and cost-effective solution for students, allowing them to focus on relevant courses for their career goals. However, this market faces competition from traditional degree programs, which are enhancing their offerings through evolving learning methodologies and digitalization. Despite the advantages of alternative credentials, the formal education segment remains a significant challenge.

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Segment Overview 

This alternative credentials market for higher education report extensively covers market segmentation by  

Product 1.1 Non-credit training courses1.2 Non-credit certificate programs1.3 Digital badges1.4 Competency-based education1.5 Boot campsType 2.1 Online2.2 Blended2.3 Face to faceGeography 3.1 North America3.2 Europe3.3 APAC3.4 South America3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Non-credit training courses-  Non-credit training courses are educational programs that provide specific skills and knowledge without granting academic credit. These courses, often in fields like coding, web development, data science, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, are highly sought after due to the increasing industry demand for tech expertise. Participants receive certificates upon completion and assessment tests by standard-setting organizations. Carroll Community College, in partnership with ed2go, offers non-credit courses in various fields, including healthcare and entrepreneurship. In-demand healthcare courses include medical coding, billing, administration, and specialized skills. Business courses cover entrepreneurship, finance fundamentals, and strategic planning. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of non-credit training courses in the global alternative credentials market for higher education.

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Research Analysis

The Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education refers to non-traditional forms of education that validate skills, competencies, and knowledge through certificates, digital badges, and microcredentials. These credentials offer flexible timespans, professional learning opportunities, and cater to adult learners, lifelong learners, and non-matriculated students. They come in various formats such as online, hybrid, and professional education, and can be credit-bearing or non-credit. The curriculum is designed to meet workforce demands, and these credentials are stackable, allowing learners to build upon previous achievements. They offer portability and transferability, enabling learners to apply their credentials to various industries and careers. Professional development and continuing education are essential aspects of these programs, ensuring learners stay updated with the latest industry trends. Accreditation ensures the quality and value of these credentials, making them a valuable addition to a learner’s professional profile.

Market Research Overview

Alternative credentials in higher education refer to non-traditional certificates, badges, and micro-credentials that validate skills and competencies, often in a flexible and tech-driven learning environment. These credentials cater to adult learners seeking professional development, lifelong learning, and career advancement. They offer flexible timespans, online and hybrid learning options, and customized programs to address workforce demands and skill gaps. Micro-credentials and digital badges provide practical value and portability, enabling learners to showcase their achievements to employers. They can be stacked and transferred, offering flexible pathways to degree attainment or upskilling. Curriculum is often industry-aligned, with rigorous learning outcomes that meet employer needs. Technology plays a significant role in the digital transformation of alternative credentials, with machine learning and blockchain technology enhancing accessibility, flexibility, and workplace value. Employers increasingly recognize the relevance of these non-traditional credentials for talent acquisition and career development, making them essential components of a knowledge-based economy.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary
2 Market Landscape
3 Market Sizing
4 Historic Market Size
5 Five Forces Analysis
6 Market Segmentation

ProductNon-credit Training CoursesNon-credit Certificate ProgramsDigital BadgesCompetency-based EducationBoot CampsTypeOnlineBlendedFace To FaceGeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAPACSouth AmericaMiddle East And Africa

7 Customer Landscape
8 Geographic Landscape
9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends
10 Company Landscape
11 Company Analysis
12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio’s report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio’s comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research
Jesse Maida
Media & Marketing Executive
US: +1 844 364 1100
UK: +44 203 893 3200
Email: media@technavio.com
Website: www.technavio.com/

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SOURCE Technavio

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Technology

The Next Generation of Agent Assist is Here with Balto

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ST. LOUIS, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Balto, the leading AI platform for contact centers and the company that invented the category of agent assist called real-time guidance in 2017, today officially unveiled RTG3 – the tool is being regarded as the future of agent assist – not for its first of its kind features, but also because it’s an agent assist that consistently delivers measurable ROI.

Introducing RTG3

RTG3 delivers what Balto describes as ambient agentic intelligence for the frontline contact center agents – an experience the contact center space has never seen before, and one that is being heralded as the future of agent assist.

The idea was born from a simple but powerful feeling: Making the agent app the central command center for the frontline by providing instant answers to information that’s impossible to memorize, the ability to search for information right on the app, and turning it into a personalized workspace, rather than just another screen/app on their desktop.

RTG3 brings that experience to the frontline contact center agent for the first time, within the context of their work. Rather than a single nudge tucked on the side of the screen, RTG3 is agentic intelligence that works on the agent’s behalf, automatically launching AI agents that gather the answers, customer context, and hard-to-find information a live conversation calls for, exactly when it’s needed. The result is a frontline agent with AI at their fingertips and the freedom to focus on the customer in front of them.

That power belongs to the agent. RTG3 is built for the frontline, designed to be made their own, personalized and arranged around how each person works best; not to monitor them, and not to replace them. It is Balto’s bet on humans and on what they are capable of when given the best possible tools. RTG3 is available today, free to existing Balto real-time guidance customers, through a fast and easy implementation.

Consistently delivers measurable ROI

Agent assist is the top investment priority for contact center leaders. According to industry-leading analysts in Customer Management Practice (CMP) Research, in the 2026–2027 year, 61% of leaders say they are going to invest in agent assist, making it the number one category, ahead of analytics and insights, chatbots and virtual agents, knowledge management, and automated QA.

Renowned for an excellent product suite, customer service and a platform that consistently delivers measurable ROI across multiple industries, Balto holds a 4.8-star rating across more than 600 reviews on G2 and Capterra, and has built RTG3 to meet that demand where the ROI actually lands: improved customer retention, agent to manager ratio, reduced agent turnover, accelerated ramp time, reducing handle time, better CSAT scores, and higher conversion rates.

“If you know there’s golden data, why are you waiting for somebody to go into your product, go to the interface and ask the question? Provide them with the data that you know is good,” says Balto CEO Marc Bernstein. That principle of putting that intelligence directly in front of the agent, rather than waiting for someone to ask, is at the heart of RTG3.

How RTG3 Works

RTG3 works today in the format contact center teams already know: the app is nestled in over the side of the screen and integrates with the CCaaS and UCaaS to start and stop automatically as calls come in and go out. For the first time, Balto is also introducing an intelligent agent desktop powered by ambient agentic intelligence for the frontline contact center agent.

Customer History before the call: The second a call comes through, Balto automatically populates the history of that customer by working through previous Balto conversations and transcripts. Agents immediately see why the customer is calling and their most recent call history. Customer History carries a 93% thumbs-up rating from agents.AI agents working in the background: When a customer mentions a city, Balto pulls local weather and sports. When a competitor comes up, it pulls that competitor’s reviews and surfaces the common complaints. In healthcare, when a provider is mentioned, Balto returns the provider’s name, specialty, practice address, and a link to their listing. All of it happens in the background while the agent keeps talking.Answers to questions impossible to memorize: Agents can ask Balto anything, including questions no one could reasonably memorize, such as pricing a plan for several hundred seats with the right discounts applied. Balto searches knowledge resources in Balto Cloud and can search a customer’s SharePoint. Every answer cites its source and deep links to the exact article, page, and section it came from.Real-time checklists are built as levers: The best AI checklists are not a full script; they are a few levers that let agents hit the metrics that matter: compliance requirements like verification, deeper discovery, and an assumptive ask or close. Agents can set completed items to auto-disappear, or keep them visible.A home base for the agent: Agents no longer have to navigate an obstacle course of tabs, CRMs, and Slack channels just to answer one customer question. RTG3 consolidates everything agents need–compliance, knowledge, workflows, and supervisor support–into one customizable workspace.Make it your own: RTG3 brings everything agents need into one place, and lets them make it their own. Agents can customize their layouts, pin what they use most, and personalize the look and feel of their workspace. Every agent can create a workspace that fits the way they work. If it works the way agents have longed for and they can personalize it, agents will use it.

Available and ready to use now

RTG3 is available now and free to existing Balto agent assist customers, with an implementation Balto describes as fast and low lift. Balto’s team stays involved through implementation and beyond, helping teams prepare documents so AI can read them accurately and connecting knowledge databases so agents can query the full knowledge base from inside Balto.

Customers are already seeing incredible results with a Health Insurance brokerage call discovery rose from below 20% to roughly 51%, with an approximate 10% increase in sales as RTG3 usage grew and a Home Improvement company’s new hire ramp to estimate certification dropped from about 90 days to 30.

Learn more about Balto Agent Assist.

About Balto

Balto is the #1 rated agent assist, QA automation, and agentic insights platform for contact centers, wrapped into a single platform where humans and AI work together. Founded in 2017, Balto was the first company to bring agent assist to market and has since deployed it across more than 300 customers and 500 million interactions. Balto is backed by Telescope Partners and Vista Equity Partners. Learn more at balto.ai

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SOURCE Balto Software, Inc.

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S&P Dow Jones Indices and Kaiko Introduce S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices

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New co-branded suite brings both companies’ crypto index offerings onto a single platform

NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — S&P Dow Jones Indices (“S&P DJI”), the world’s leading index provider and Kaiko, the global independent leader in digital asset market data, indices, and data infrastructure, today announced the combined digital asset index offerings under a single co-branded suite: S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices.

With this release, Kaiko’s digital asset reference rates and multi-asset indices, together with S&P DJI’s existing crypto indices, will be rebranded under the S&P Kaiko name. The suite is powered by Kaiko’s crypto-native data infrastructure and market expertise, with S&P DJI providing global licensing, distribution and benchmark administration.

With institutional participation in digital assets growing, asset managers, ETF issuers, exchanges and structured product providers increasingly require benchmarks that combine robust data, transparent methodologies, trusted governance and global distribution. The S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices are designed to meet that demand by pairing S&P DJI’s institutional benchmark expertise with Kaiko’s 24/7 digital asset data platform and exchange connectivity.

“Together, S&P DJI and Kaiko are raising the standard for digital asset benchmarks. As the asset class matures, institutional investors need indices defined by transparency, rigor and market relevance. This suite combines the trusted S&P brand with Kaiko’s crypto-native data infrastructure and market expertise, purpose-built for global, 24/7 digital asset markets,” said Cameron Drinkwater, Chief Product & Operations Officer at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

The S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices suite will operate on a single platform built on Kaiko’s technology stack, with S&P DJI’s benchmark administration, licensing and distribution infrastructure integrated into its commercial operations. S&P DJI brings decades of index governance experience, global licensing capabilities and benchmark administrator status under the EU Benchmarks Regulation, aligned with the IOSCO Principles for Financial Benchmarks. Kaiko will provide data sourcing and calculation through its crypto market expertise, connectivity to 150+ exchanges and round-the-clock infrastructure, as well as index methodology support.

At launch, the S&P Kaiko suite covers over 4000 rates and indices across the digital asset class. Existing financial products benchmarked to Kaiko reference rates and multi-asset indices – including exchange-traded products, futures, options and structured products – will be able to leverage the new S&P Kaiko brand.

“S&P DJI and Kaiko bring what digital asset markets have been missing: a globally trusted benchmark brand paired with crypto-native infrastructure built for 24/7 markets. S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices gives institutions the credibility, distribution and data precision they need to participate in this asset class with confidence,” said Ambre Soubiran, CEO at Kaiko. 

To learn more about the S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices visit here.

For additional information about Kaiko’s data infrastructure, indices, and pricing solutions, visit kaiko.com. Kaiko Indices, S.A., as a legal entity, will retain its existing brand and BMR registration.

ABOUT S&P DOW JONES INDICES 

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit: www.spglobal.com/spdji.

ABOUT KAIKO

Kaiko provides regulated data services for onchain finance. Founded in 2014, the company delivers institutional-grade digital asset market data, analytics, indices, and data infrastructure for tokenized and traditional markets. Its clients include banks, asset managers, exchanges, and leading financial institutions worldwide. Kaiko’s data and infrastructure support trading, valuation, risk management, tokenized assets, and onchain applications, connecting traditional and blockchain-based markets. For more information, visit: kaiko.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Silke McGuinness 
Global Head of Communications, S&P DJI
(+1) 415-205-8414
silke.mcguinness@spglobal.com

Victoria Calmon
Kaiko
Editorial & Communications Manager
press@kaiko.com

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SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

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AirDNA Launches Adapt, the AI-Native Revenue Management System for Short-Term Rental Operators

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DENVER, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AirDNA, the leading provider of short-term rental (STR) data and analytics, today launched AirDNA Adapt, adding revenue management to its product stack for STR hosts and property managers. Built with AI at its core rather than layered onto a traditional rules-based pricing model, Adapt weighs each listing’s full competitive landscape using data from the 15 million listings AirDNA tracks, then sets nightly rates and minimum stays with a clear rationale for every rate.

Adapt was built in response to feedback from thousands of STR hosts surfacing a recurring industry challenge: operators often can’t tell whether their pricing is working or understand why a rate has changed. More than 14,000 listings were connected to Adapt during private and public betas, which kept operator feedback at the center of product development.

“Pricing a property shouldn’t require translating your strategy into dozens of rules and settings,” said Rohit Bezewada, CEO of AirDNA. “We built Adapt around a simpler approach: operators set the strategy, and Adapt handles the complexity underneath. We believe operators should always be able to understand what the system is doing and why, in plain language they can act on.”

Key features include:

Daily dynamic pricing: Nightly rates and minimum stays adjust as market and booking conditions change, with local event detection built inUnlimited comp-sets: Auto-built, editable comp sets with historical and forward-looking performance benchmarks, plus a daily comp calendar comparing rates, minimum stays, and availabilityFour pricing strategies: Operators set the goal, whether revenue, occupancy, a balance of the two, or steadier earnings from earlier bookings, and Adapt sets the underlying pricing rules to match, all adjustablePerformance dashboard: Tracks actual booked revenue, ADR, RevPAR, occupancy, and length of stay, benchmarked against the listing’s history and comp set, with up to two years of historical performanceAI assistant: Explains why any given rate was set, tests alternative scenarios, and applies pricing changes with operator approval

“Good pricing starts with understanding what a property is competing against, and most operators are working with a partial view of their market,” said Jamie Lane, AirDNA’s Chief Economist. “We’ve spent twelve years building the full picture, which Adapt now puts to work on every pricing decision.”

Adapt is available today at AirDNA.co/adapt and is free to connect, with integrations for Airbnb, Guesty, Hostaway, Hospitable, OwnerRez, and Uplisting, and more integrations coming in 2026.

Adapt Media Kit

About AirDNA

AirDNA is a global authority on short-term rental data and intelligence for hosts, property managers, investors, real estate professionals, and destinations worldwide, covering 15 million listings across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com in 120,000 markets globally. AirDNA provides the data, analytics, and tools to understand market and competitive performance, identify and underwrite investment opportunities, and optimize pricing and revenue, supporting smarter decisions in any market or economic climate.

airdna.co 

Media Contact

Chloé Garlaschi

Sr. Communications Manager, AirDNA

press@airdna.co

(720) 372-2318

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SOURCE AirDNA

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