Falling Degrees and Rising Diplomas

 

Degree takers in colleges are falling in numbers. The trend is not just limited to one region or university. In a way this is a trend which can overhaul the way HEIs are run and the fare the HEIs offer. It can even, in the very long run, destabilise the whole segment and render many who are part of the HEIs jobless. The time taken to complete a major degree and the content offered as part of the graduation in Higher Education Institutions like colleges are apparently not a good fit for many in the new generation. The decline in the number of degree takers that is slow and steady may not be felt by the frontline colleges right now. Many of the top colleges, top in terms of quality and in the case of some, top rated in  popularity and on a slow, yet indistinct downward spiral, this declining demand may not be evident at the moment. In University of Calicut the drop in undergraduate admission registration amounts to thirty thousand plus in the year 2022, which is up from what it was the year before.

The drop in degree seekers is not immediately evident in big campuses and Autonomous colleges for now for multiple reasons. One of which is the reputation of those colleges in terms of student life, learning and legacy. Majority of these colleges have been around for more than half a century and they have established themselves in academia with vigour and vision. The restricted right to autonomy they enjoy,which provide them liberty to have their own admission and examination systems, place them above universities in demand as they successfully run on schedule. Delays which are inherent in the university system do not plague them.  Still the apathy of degree seekers will gradually catch up with such institutions too and they must have  a strategy to counter this.

Where are the students headed, ignoring the three year degree Programme? The trend is slowly in favour of microcredentials like diplomas, advanced diplomas and certificate programmes. Microcredentials or minor degrees are short, focussed courses / micro-courses which certify the skills and talents of a person. These can help the learners gain a specific skill which is what is in demand at the moment. The current crop of youngsters are aware of the emerging openings in career fields and are willing to earn precisely the required certification to meet a specific skill-need or career-demand. The short, flexible, competency based microdegrees are increasingly accepted by the crowd of youngsters who earlier went after degree programmes. These micro-programmes are genuinely outcome based. Genuine since it is measured strictly in terms of the skills and competencies the taker is capable of, unlike many of the HEIs which harp on OBE out of policy or accreditation compulsions. A demonstrable skill/competency is the takeaway here and often this is  industry-tested.

The differences between the traditional three / four year degrees and microcredentials are significant. These micro certifications are not seat-time based and not designed on a one-size-fits-all format like the major degree programmes. These are not knowledge based programmes too. While these programmes can be delivered in any format, online, offline or blended, what must be troubling the colleges is that it can be, it already is, offered by corporations, companies, professional bodies and certified agencies , not just colleges or universities. It can be LinkedIn, Cisco or a Training centre in your local town with linkages of the right kind.

Rapid digitalisation of the social transactions and the evolving knowledge economies have rendered career-readiness a constant challenge. The need to up skill and reskill is much higher now. This is where the role of the thus called nano-degrees becomes important. The rising cost of higher education and the uncertainty on career front add to this. Though it is true that the HEIs can't fully operate in such a way that it can compete with the corporations  or digital giants to offer micro-certifications, the HEIs need to know where the career front is headed and what graduate competencies are demanded. The unbundling of higher education which is on the cards with the moves like credit transfer, academic bank of credits and the like in implementation in the country, the HEIs cant afford to ignore the lure and power of the minor degrees. To  retain the competitive edge, the HEIs need to explore the possibilities proactively.

The colleges are to introspect how the rise of microcredentials will impact them. The unbundling of higher education will necessitate integration of minor degrees and it is already happening in many colleges in the form of add-on programmes, whatever be the content or mode of delivery. Add-ons, as they are run at present in majority of colleges, cant be labelled as microcredentials and the reasons are obvious. Colleges, sooner or later will have to think of offering microcredentials along with the major degrees they offer. It wont be long before the advisory and accrediting agencies ask the HEIs to offer microcredentialing as an option to the students. Perhaps even before that the students and parents may begin to look for colleges and universities which offer the same. It could be mini-courses adding up to microcredentials or a full fledged minor degree straight.

The road to offer the microcredentials in HEIs cannot be an easy one for many reasons, which vary from the resistance to change which ironically is inherent to educational institutions to lack of expertise and resorces. But that's the road to take. Time isn't far when the share of students who opt for a college just for the fun, just to be there, or putting it more currently , for the vibe, will ask if its worth it. Its not long before they realise that fun can be had in other ways or that vibes can be had away from campuses too. When these join the already sensible ones who rethink the worth of graduate education in terms of employability and skills (though the worth of education cant be assessed purely on those terms), then the degree-droppers would burn holes big enough to sink the whole HEI. Let us be aware and be ready.

- Babu. P. K., Ph D