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K-State Today

October 7, 2022

K-State purchases Credly Acclaim to manage digital credentials

Submitted by Ashley Nietfeld

Kansas State University has purchased the Credly Acclaim system to verify and award digital credentials earned through university microcredential offerings.

Credly Acclaim, a leader in the digital credential movement, is an end-to-end solution for creating, issuing and managing digital credentials in the form of badges. Badges are a visual representation of a verified skill or competency a learner has attained.

"The purchase of Credly Acclaim is an important step in the development of a universitywide microcredentialing infrastructure," said Karen Pedersen, dean of Global Campus. "Microcredentials will allow K-State to build a lifelong learning ecosystem and provide affordable, accessible and focused learning opportunities to a diverse set of learners."

Leaners who complete a microcredential offering will earn a badge that can be published and shared on social media platforms, websites and in email signatures. Badges allow employers, clients, colleagues and others to see the knowledge, skills and competencies the learner has gained from the microcredential. They also allow employers and other decision-makers to search for individuals with a specific credential or who have gained the skills represented by a credential.

Behind the badge is extensive metadata that shows:

  • The digital credential comes from a reputable source.
  • The verification or assessment of the skills or knowledge gained.
  • The requirements for the digital credential. 

Procurement of the digital credentialing system was completed through the work of the K-State Microcredential Initiative and was funded through Strategic Investment Funds. More than 50 university representatives have been engaged in this initiative through participation in working groups focused on policy development, financial models, technology procurement and implementation, branding development, internal processes, and internal and external communications.

Visit the Microcredentials Initiative website for more information or contact microcred@k-state.edu.

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