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Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education to Grow by USD 1.84 Billion (2025-2029), Driven by Skills Gap and AI Redefining the Market Landscape – Technavio

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NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Report with market evolution powered by AI – The global alternative credentials market for higher education size is estimated to grow by USD 1.84 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

Alternative credentials, such as digital badges and micro-credentials, are gaining popularity in the higher education landscape. These non-traditional credentials validate and attest to specific skills and competencies, providing flexible learning options 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. Professionals in technology jobs can upskill and reskill through these innovative education opportunities, ensuring relevance in a knowledge-based economy. Post-secondary institutions are responding to the Great Resignation and employer needs by offering flexible pathways and revenue growth through alternative credentials. These credentials provide rigorous learning outcomes and are recognized by employers, bridging the learning gap and providing accessibility and flexibility for non-matriculated students. With blockchain technology and machine learning, the verification and transferability of these credentials are secure and efficient. In summary, alternative credentials offer practical value, addressing skill shortages and career development in the digital age. Employers, professionals, and learners alike benefit from these flexible, accessible, and relevant educational opportunities. 

The alternative credentials market in higher education is experiencing significant growth. This market includes graduate and undergraduate certificate programs, training courses, continuing education units, and micro-credentialing, which are non-traditional offerings gaining popularity among learners. These programs are linked to an alternative credentialing system and are accessible through channels different from those providing traditional degrees. Providers of these courses include baccalaureate colleges, universities, community colleges, and doctorate-granting universities, operating in both public and private sectors. The ease of creating non-credit programs without following regulatory mandates enables faster program development compared to traditional degree programs. 

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 Market Challenges

Alternative credentials, such as digital badges and micro-credentials, are revolutionizing higher education by offering flexible, skill-focused learning options for professionals and adult learners. These non-traditional credentials validate attained skills and competencies, attesting to the learner’s mastery of career-oriented skills. They come with flexible timespans, allowing learners to upskill at their own pace, and are available through online, hybrid, and customized programs. Employers value these credentials for their relevance to workforce demands and portability across industries. Stackable credentials and micro-credentials offer a flexible pathway for learners to build a career, with rigorous learning outcomes and digital badges for completion. TechCred, a type of industry-recognized micro-credit, bridges the skills gap and provides employment opportunities in technology fields. Post-secondary institutions and educational organizations are embracing this digital transformation to meet the needs of the knowledge-based economy and the Great Resignation. By offering accessible, flexible, and practical value learning experiences, they cater to the learning gap and help professionals reskill for career advancement. Blockchain technology and machine learning are enhancing the security and customization of these alternative credentials, making them a valuable addition to the traditional degrees and certificates.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 serve as a viable option for students, allowing them to choose only necessary courses and manage their budgets effectively. However, this market faces competition from traditional degree programs. Universities are enhancing their offerings through evolving learning methodologies and digitalization, making them a formidable competitor. Despite this challenge, the flexibility and affordability of alternative credentials make them an attractive choice for many students.

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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 in various fields without granting academic credit. These courses, which are increasingly popular, are designed to help students meet industry requirements and stay competitive in the job market. Cengage Learning’s ed2go offers non-credit courses in partnership with educational institutions and organizations. Coding languages, web development, data science, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence/machine learning are among the most sought-after courses due to technological advancements. Participants receive certificates upon completion and passing assessments by standard-setting organizations or third parties. Mentors facilitate learning through course materials and activities. Carroll Community College, based in the US, offers non-credit courses in hospitality, business, health and fitness, and computer applications. In-demand fields include healthcare, with courses on medical coding, billing, administration, and specialized skills. Entrepreneurship, business development, finance fundamentals, and strategic planning courses cater to those starting businesses or advancing careers. The continuous growth of industries and the need for specialized skills are expected to fuel the expansion of the non-credit training courses segment in the global alternative credentials market for higher education.

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Research Analysis

The Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education refers to the growing trend of offering flexible, skills-based credentials that validate attainment of specific competencies and knowledge areas. These credentials, which include certificates, microcredentials, digital badges, and stackable credentials, offer adult learners the opportunity for professional learning and lifelong education, with flexible timespans and various delivery methods such as online, hybrid, and on-site. The market caters to the demands of the workforce for continuous professional development and continuing education, with both credit-bearing and non-credit options. The curriculum is designed to meet industry standards and is often tech-enabled for portability and transferability. Accreditation ensures the quality and value of these credentials, making them valuable additions to a learner’s professional profile.

Market Research Overview

Alternative credentials, also known as non-traditional credentials, offer flexible and innovative educational opportunities for learners seeking to acquire relevant skills and knowledge in various fields. These credentials, which include digital badges, micro-credentials, and stackable credentials, validate skills and competencies gained through professional learning, lifelong learning, online learning, hybrid learning, and other flexible pathways. Unlike traditional degrees, alternative credentials have flexible timespans, are portable and transferable, and cater to the needs of adult learners and non-matriculated students. They offer rigorous learning outcomes and are designed to address workforce demands, skill gaps, and career advancement. With the increasing digitization of education and the growing importance of technology jobs, professionals can now access a wide range of alternative credentials that provide practical value and workplace relevance. These credentials are essential for upskilling and reskilling in a knowledge-based economy, where employability and employability are key drivers of revenue growth for post-secondary institutions. The use of technology, such as blockchain and machine learning, ensures the portability, transferability, and security of these credentials. Ultimately, alternative credentials offer accessible, flexible, and practical educational paths for learners to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s labor markets and meet the demands of the Great Resignation.

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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11:11 Systems Announces Strategic Partnership with Cato Networks to Deliver SASE Solution for Distributed Enterprises

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New Managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution combines SD-WAN, cloud-native networking and security capabilities with 11:11’s connectivity, cyber resilience and cloud expertise

SYDNEY, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 11:11 Systems, a leading managed infrastructure solutions provider, today announced the global availability of its 11:11 Managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution and a new strategic partnership with Cato Networks.

11:11 Managed SASE is a fully managed secure connectivity solution leveraging Cato Networks AI-native network security platform. This solution brings together intelligent SD-WAN, cloud-delivered security and global connectivity into a single offering. It enables organisations to simplify and secure access across branch offices, data centres, users and cloud environments, reducing complexity without sacrificing performance or control.

Built on the Cato Networks cloud-native SASE platform, 11:11 Managed SASE combines zero trust network access (ZTNA), firewall as a service (FWaaS), secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), advanced threat protection and centralised visibility into a unified managed experience. 11:11 also delivers 24x7x365 monitoring and support, incident management integration and operational accountability to help customers limit vendor sprawl, increase agility and free internal teams to focus on higher-value priorities.

The offering is backed by 11:11’s broader networking, cloud and cyber resilience capabilities. Through its global backbone, carrier-agnostic connectivity options and integrated portfolio spanning cloud, backup, disaster recovery and security services, 11:11 gives customers a practical path to modernise network and security architecture while strengthening resilience across the business.

“Enterprises are under pressure to support users, applications and locations that are more distributed than ever, while limiting complexity and improving security,” said Justin Giardina, CTO, 11:11 Systems. “Our Managed SASE solution provides customers with a unified approach to modernising networking and security, along with the visibility, support and flexibility they need to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.”

According to Karl Soderlund, global channel chief, Cato Networks, “As enterprises move beyond fragmented legacy networking and security stacks, they need a simpler way to gain visibility, context and control across hybrid work environments and reduce the operational burden on IT. Through our partnership, we can address these challenges head on and deliver end-to-end visibility and protection in a single service built for the reality of modern work.”

The joint offering is well suited for distributed enterprises, multi-site organisations, hybrid workforce initiatives, SD-WAN refreshes, security modernisation efforts and businesses with limited IT resources. 11:11 meets customers where they are by supporting existing environments, simplifying multi-vendor operations and serving as a single provider accountable for network, security, cloud and data integration.

This partnership expands 11:11’s Network as a Service portfolio and follows Forrester’s inclusion of 11:11 Systems in its report, “The Secure Access Service Edge Services Landscape, Q1 2026.”

About 11:11 Systems

11:11 Systems is a managed infrastructure solutions provider that empowers customers to modernise, protect and manage mission-critical applications and data, leveraging 11:11’s resilient cloud platform. Learn more at www.1111Systems.com and follow 11:11 on LinkedIn.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/1111-systems-announces-strategic-partnership-with-cato-networks-to-deliver-sase-solution-for-distributed-enterprises-302830322.html

SOURCE 11:11 Systems

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Crowell & Moring Expands Financial Services Group with Former UBS Bank USA General Counsel Cristina Diaz

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NEW YORK, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Crowell & Moring has added Cristina Diaz, former executive director and general counsel of UBS Bank USA, and most recently head of legal for UBS’s U.S. Remediation Management Office, to the firm’s Financial Services Group as senior counsel in New York. Diaz brings more than two decades of in-house counsel and law firm experience in bank regulation, compliance, and risk management.

At Crowell, Diaz will counsel banks, fintechs, and digital assets companies on a broad range of bank regulatory matters, including charters and licensing, permissible activities, capital requirements, regulatory enforcement, M&A, and corporate governance. She will also counsel clients navigating the intersection of traditional banking and emerging financial services, including digital assets companies seeking to acquire or establish national banks, and banks exploring partnerships with fintechs and digital assets firms.

At UBS, Diaz advised on the firm’s most pressing regulatory matters, including most recently UBS Bank USA’s charter conversion from a Utah industrial bank to an OCC national bank and key compliance remediations. This work gave Diaz extensive experience navigating relationships with state and federal financial regulators. Earlier in her career, Diaz spent eight years at Davis Polk & Wardwell advising U.S. and foreign banks on bank regulatory matters, M&A, and capital markets transactions.

“Cristina is a highly experienced, solution-oriented attorney who brings deep knowledge in the bank regulatory space. She will be an enormous asset to the firm’s growing regulatory and transactional offerings to banks, digital assets businesses, and fintechs,” said Carlton Greene, Co-Chair of Crowell’s Financial Services Group.

“I am delighted to join Crowell & Moring and integrate my bank regulatory experience with the firm’s nationally-recognized digital assets practice. As traditional banking and emerging financial technologies continue to evolve, clients need actionable and sophisticated legal counsel. Crowell offers the collaborative platform to help institutions successfully execute their growth and compliance strategies,” said Diaz.

Diaz received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a member of the New York University Law Review, and received her B.A., summa cum laude, from New York University. She is fluent in Spanish.

About Crowell & Moring LLP
Crowell & Moring is an international law firm with operations in the United States, Europe, and MENA. Drawing on significant government, business, industry, and legal experience, the firm helps clients capitalize on opportunities and provides creative solutions to complex regulatory and policy, litigation, transactional, and intellectual property issues. The firm is consistently recognized for its commitment to pro bono service, as well as its comprehensive programs and initiatives to advance the professional and personal development of all members of the Crowell community.

Media Contact:
Email: prteam@crowell.com

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Quantinuum and SoftBank Corp. Publish Joint White Paper on Scaling Practical Quantum Computing Use Cases Toward the Fault-Tolerant Era

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The companies have published a joint white paper mapping commercially relevant quantum computing use cases in quantum chemistry and graph analytics to Quantinuum’s hardware roadmap.The paper provides a framework for assessing how advances in quantum hardware and algorithms, could affect when practical industrial applications become feasible.SoftBank Corp. and Quantinuum will use the roadmap to inform their exploration of future quantum AI data center services and related business models.

TOKYO and BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Quantinuum (NASDAQ: QNT) and SoftBank Corp. (“SoftBank”) today announced the publication of “Quantum Computing Frontiers,” a joint white paper that maps two commercially-relevant quantum computing application areas against Quantinuum’s hardware roadmap. The analysis examines how advances in quantum hardware and algorithms could affect when these applications become practical for industrial use.

The paper focuses on two representative application domains that SoftBank is actively using Quantinuum’s systems to research: quantum chemistry for new materials discovery and energy research, and topological data analysis for large-scale graph analytics, including for telecommunications fraud detection. The authors anchor their assessment of the scalability of these two application areas against Quantinuum’s published hardware roadmap, examining how projected advances in hardware capabilities and algorithms may enable the commercial readiness of future industrial applications.

Building on this use-case roadmap, the paper also examines how quantum computing, AI, and high-performance computing could be integrated into future computing infrastructure. It considers how progress across successive hardware generations could inform future quantum AI data center services and related business models, a key focus of the Quantinuum and SoftBank partnership announced last year.

“The key takeaway of this study is that organizations do not need to wait for large-scale, fault-tolerant systems to explore where quantum computing can begin creating value,” said Duncan Jones, General Manager, Applications Group at Quantinuum. “By using today’s systems to develop, benchmark and refine applications in areas such as quantum chemistry and graph analytics, enterprises can build the technical and operational readiness needed for the next era of quantum-enabled computing.”

“The question is no longer whether quantum computing may deliver value, but rather which problem classes become executable at which stage of hardware maturity,” said Ryuji Wakikawa, Senior Vice President & CTO at SoftBank Corp. “However, we believe progress in hardware must be complemented by equally strong developments in quantum algorithms and the integration of quantum systems with AI and high-performance computing.”

The white paper discusses illustrative scenarios describing how representative applications, technology maturity, and potential market opportunities may evolve over time under stated assumptions. The analysis provided in the paper is intended to provide a conceptual framework for understanding potential market evolution and does not represent financial guidance or forecasts. These analyses are intended to support discussion of future technology development and should not be interpreted as commitments regarding commercialization, infrastructure investment, products, services, or financial performance.

The full white paper is available to download on the SoftBank and Quantinuum websites.

About SoftBank Corp.

Guided by the SoftBank Group’s corporate philosophy, “Information Revolution – Happiness for everyone,” SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) operates telecommunications and IT businesses in Japan and globally. Building on its strong business foundation, SoftBank Corp. is aiming to activate the potential of AI across its businesses and drive implementation in line with its “Activate AI for Society” growth strategy. While further growing its telecom business, SoftBank is expanding its AI computing infrastructure and AI and Cloud service businesses with the aim of becoming a provider of Next-generation Social Infrastructure. To learn more, please visit https://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/

About Quantinuum

Quantinuum (NASDAQ: QNT) is a leading quantum computing company offering a full-stack platform designed to make quantum computing deployable in real-world environments. The company has commercially deployed multiple generations of quantum systems built on the well-established QCCD architecture, which it has implemented with novel designs and capabilities to achieve the industry’s highest accuracy levels based on average two-qubit gate fidelity.[1] Quantinuum has active engagements with market leaders across pharmaceuticals, material science, financial services, and government and industrial markets. The company has a global workforce of approximately 700 employees, including top scientists and researchers. Over 70% of its technology team holds PhDs or Master’s degrees. Quantinuum’s headquarters is in Broomfield, Colorado, with additional facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Qatar, and Singapore.

For more information, please visit www.quantinuum.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. The words “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “future,” “will,” “seek,” “foreseeable,” the negative version of these words, or similar terms and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on certain assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services and prices. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Quantinuum to predict all such factors. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, Quantinuum does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

[1] As of December 31, 2025.

SOURCE Quantinuum

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