Twelve Google and IBM professional certificates on Coursera receive recommendations for ECTS credits

FIBAA certification paves the way for higher education institutions in 49 member countries to award points for work-relevant credentials

Written by Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera

As the job market becomes more competitive, universities and employers are turning to online learning to help graduates fill any skills gaps. However, the different standards of different countries can make it difficult to recognize these online qualifications. This presents a challenge for governments and institutions seeking to achieve consistent recognition of non-traditional credentials, online education or time spent studying abroad.

Today, Coursera is excited to announce that the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) has certified 12 professional certifications from Google and IBM, with European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) endorsements available exclusively on Coursera. Now ministries, higher education institutions and students can accept and transfer university credits for acceptable industry micro-credentials on Coursera at institutions in 49 member countries in the ECC/Bologna Process. This cross-sector initiative represents a major step toward establishing a global ecosystem for the credit recognition of online learning and industry micro-credentials.

“Industry micro-credentials offer individuals of diverse backgrounds a clear path to future career readiness, and FIBAA certification provides stakeholders with assurance that each professional certification is a quality-assured education and training program,” said Diane Freiberger, FIBAA Executive Director. “This endorsement simplifies credit recognition for higher education institutions, increases employers’ confidence in candidates’ skills and reassures students that their investment in education will be recognised.”

FIBAA’s ECTS certificates help students earn academic credit for courses completed outside of academic institutions by assessing the quality and creditworthiness of non-traditional content. For ministries and higher education institutions, the recognition of ECTS credits for industrial micro-credentials makes it easier to offer ‘career electives’ that count as college degree credits and prepare students for work when they graduate. For individual students pursuing professional certificates on Coursera, ECTS credit referrals remove barriers to gaining credits for prior learning if they later decide to pursue a degree.

Coursera’s entry-level professional certificates, designed by world-leading companies to prepare students with no prior work experience for in-demand digital jobs in fields such as data science, cybersecurity and UX design, are certified by FIBAA and recommended for recognition the following ECTS points:

“We are proud that Google’s Career Certificates are now certified for ECTS credits,” said Amanda Brophy, Director, Grow with Google. “This is a significant step forward to ensure global students can earn credits while learning job-ready skills for growing fields such as cybersecurity and data analytics. We are excited that more students can enhance their career prospects by learning from Google experts while earning their degree.”

“Earning ECTS credit endorsements for IBM Professional Certificates on Coursera signifies our commitment to maintaining high-quality educational standards and empowering individuals to secure their careers with globally recognized qualifications,” said Leon Katsnelson, Director & CTO, IBM Skills Network. “The collaboration between industry and academia, exemplified by our FIBAA endorsement, enables students to not only earn job-ready credentials, but also use their learning to progress toward a degree, bridging the gap between education and industry needs.”

Higher education must work with industry to meet the rapidly changing needs of employers and students, and industry micro-credentials with ECTS credits are a simple and easy way to achieve this. Coursera is committed to partnering with leading institutions and accrediting agencies like FIBAA to bridge the gap between higher education and the workforce and provide flexible and affordable ways for students to seek credit for their online learning investments.

Learn more about recommendations for ECTS credits on Coursera here and recommendations for ACE credits on Coursera here. For more information about Coursera for Campus, visit coursera.org/campus.