By Sanjay Laul, Founder of MSM Unify
Dual degrees and stackable credentials are fast becoming the new currency of global careers. As automation and skills-based hiring redefine the job market, an overwhelming 96% of employers now confirm that micro-credentials significantly strengthen a candidate’s application. The global shift is driving universities and education providers and learners to adopt modular and credit-based education systems designed for flexibility and lifelong learning.
Degrees Reimagined for a Modular World
Universities reengineer the design and delivery of qualifications. Instead of requiring years of study before earning a single credential, students can now accumulate a series of smaller, stackable qualifications that combine into a degree over time.
Professionals are increasingly needed to stack new skills without leaving the workforce. In India, more than 52% of higher education institutions now offer micro-credentials for academic credit, and 97% of higher-education leaders believe these programs improve long-term career outcomes.
The students are seeing the benefit. The data highly shows that 85% of micro-credential earners saw their job prospects improve. Looking ahead, an even larger number of 91% believe that the credential will significantly boost their long-term career success. The findings reinforce the growing view that stackable education could redefine how learners build careers across borders.
Employers are no longer just looking for degrees; they’re looking for proof of adaptability. Report says that in India alone, 97% of employers say they are willing to pay more for candidates with micro-credentials. That tells us credentials are becoming a real currency in the job market.
India’s National Policy Push Toward Stackable Learning
The National Education Policy 2020 and the National Credit Framework are transforming education by prioritizing flexible learning modules and the transfer of credits. This new system makes it easy for students to bank and move earned credit from one school or subject to another. This means learners can begin with short-term programs and guarantee those credits will count toward a higher diploma or degree.
The policy vision is clear. India wants to make its education system more integrated and internationally recognized. Stackable credentials are at the heart of that transition.
The government’s push for credit portability mirrors a global movement. Nations like Australia and the United Kingdom are actively building frameworks to ensure their micro-credentials are transparent and quality-assured. Given India’s growing base of digital learners and expanding online education sector, the opportunity is enormous.
Technology Bridges Academia and Employability
Scalable infrastructure is essential to realizing this vision, making education technology a critical component. Universities have digitize their coursework and integrated micro credentials. This allows them to build straightforward academic roadmap, ensuring short term courses count toward full degree qualifications. Moreover, these skilling platform simplifies global mobility. It links students and institutions worldwide through efficient digital transcript and credential management.
Technology is the backbone of modern credentialing. When digital platforms make every earned credit verifiable and transferable, education becomes truly borderless. We empower learners to move seamlessly across institutions and countries.
The New Academic Currency
Despite the growing enthusiasm in the said framework, experts caution that stackable credentials will only succeed if they retain credibility and academic standards. Many institutions are still trying to figure out how to ensure their micro-credentials are consistently valuable to employers both locally and abroad, according to a research group studying workforce credentialing. These organizations are actively working to refine their quality assurance frameworks.
In an increasingly skills-driven global job market, the combined power of academic degrees and professional certifications will be the key factor defining a person’s employability.
Dual degrees and stackable credentials are not trends. They are tools for economic mobility. They allow students to move faster and stay relevant. Universities are now moving toward modular, verifiable credentials that function as the new currency of global careers.
