Shorter Form Credentials initiative

Related strategic goal

Shorter Form Credentials (SFCs) are rapidly becoming business as usual in the higher education landscape. At UQ, they will underpin our commitment to flexible learning opportunities, life-long learning and meet our students’ changing education needs and future demands for credentialed learning.

The project aims to provide a One-UQ approach to SFCs including a policy and procedure, a student administration system through SI-net, a marketing and branding framework, and platforms for delivery and support for both academic and professional staff. SFCs are not new to UQ, but changes in technology and demand mean that we need to deliver them in a more holistic and strategic way.

If you are a UQ staff member looking at proposing and delivering a new SFC, access resources for staff.

What are Shorter Form Credentials?

A SFC is a distinct unit of study with academically assessed learning outcomes, generally offered outside an award program, and usually completed in a short time frame (i.e. months rather than years). SFCs may be structured as a single module (e.g. a MOOC that incorporates or is complemented by rigorous academic assessment) or as a suite of combined modules resulting in a larger credential (e.g. a MicroMasters®) or a pathway to one of our programs.

SFCs may be designed for upskilling, recognition of prior learning, entry pathways, and/or to provide students with a point of differentiation. They are transferrable, recognised globally, and flexible in that they can be taken outside our standard timetable. In an age where upskilling/reskilling will be necessary in order to take on jobs that don’t yet exist, SFCs will be essential.

Project details

Timeline

Working Party

Member	Role
Professor Lydia Kavanagh (Chair)	Academic Project Lead, Deputy Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Science and Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Dr Stacey Beaumont	Lecturer, Business School
A/Professor Peter Cabot	Chair, School Teaching & Learning Advisory Committee, School of Pharmacy
Mr Mark Erickson	Academic Registrar, Academic Services Division
Professor Andrew Fairbairn	Head of Discipline (Archaeology), School of Social Science
Professor Greg Hainge	Professor, School of Languages & Cultures (Project 1 Lead, PA2)
Professor Jonathan Hill	Professor, School of Veterinary Science
A/Professor Tim Kastelle	Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Business School
Professor Margaret Mayfield	Head of School, School of Biological Science
Professor Nick Shaw	Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Medicine
Ms Mina Singh	Academic Services Division Business Projects
Dr Amberyn Thomas	Director, Learning and Research Services, UQ Library
Dr Dino Willox	Director, Student Employability
Dr Greg Winslett	Deputy Director (Digital Learning), Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation
Ms Erica Menzies	Secretariat, Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation

Key benefits

Maintain national and international market positioning
Potential to widen student base, and maintain better connections with alumni
Potential to increase revenue