Five Predictions for the Next Five Years of Digital Credentialing

What institutions need to know as digital credentials evolve, scale, and go mainstream

As microcredentials and digital badges move from the margins to the mainstream, institutions are facing a pivotal question: how can we recognise learning in ways that are meaningful, portable, and built to scale?

In a recent episode of Credentials Unscripted, Jason Weaver, VP of Product at Instructure, shared his vision for the future of digital credentialing—from integrating alternative credentials into official academic records to aligning them with the skills employers are actively seeking.
Note: Parchment is the software provider powering the My eQuals platform

In this article, we distil his insights into five clear predictions for the next five years—what’s changing, why it matters, and what institutions need to know now to stay ahead.

You’ll learn:

• How credentials are converging into unified learner records

• Why metadata and skills alignment are becoming essential

• What it will take to scale credentialing across diverse systems and campuses

Whether you're just beginning your digital credentialing journey or scaling an established program, these insights offer a roadmap for what’s coming—and how to prepare.

1. Credentials Will Converge Into a Single, Trusted Academic Record

"The badge is a portable container—but it’s not yet well recognised by verifiers."

The days of separating formal qualifications from microcredentials are numbered. As digital transformation continues, institutions will need to find ways to bring everything—from transcripts and degrees to short-form, skills-based badges—into a unified, verifiable record.

This shift is already underway in many parts of the world, with registrars and academic services teams exploring how to accommodate new forms of learning within traditional structures. In Australia and New Zealand, institutions are well placed to adapt, particularly those already engaged with secure, standards-based platforms for credential sharing.

2. Employers Will Expect Credentials to Map to Skills

"A badge is just a pretty picture unless I understand what it represents."

To be meaningful, digital credentials need to speak the language of skills. That means they must be grounded in clear taxonomies, aligned to frameworks, and able to demonstrate levels of achievement. The challenge isn’t just issuing badges—but ensuring they’re legible and trusted by the workforce.

For institutions, this means evolving beyond superficial recognition and embedding rigour and clarity into how credentials are structured. Those already involved in competency-based learning or skills-aligned curriculum design will have a head start.

3. Credit for Prior Learning Will Become More Systematic

"We all imagine a world where credit is transparent and transferable."

As microcredentials mature, they’ll increasingly serve as entry points into formal qualifications. Institutions will need systems that can evaluate, award and apply credit based on a learner’s full record—whether it comes from an industry badge, a short course, or a traditional classroom.

We’re already seeing growing momentum around recognition of prior learning and stackable credentials, particularly in support of adult learners. The ability to make this process seamless and scalable will become a strategic advantage for providers looking to broaden access and diversify enrolments.

4. Workflow Automation Will Underpin Scalable Credentialing

"You can’t build a sustainable credentialing program on spreadsheets and emails."

Building a robust digital credentialing strategy requires more than issuing badges. It depends on well-governed workflows, cross-campus coordination, and strong data integration. Institutions will need systems that automate key steps—from credential design and approval to issuing, storage, and verification.

This kind of digital infrastructure is critical for scale—and many institutions are already laying the groundwork through investments in learner record platforms and digital student services. The next step is ensuring that credentials are embedded in systems that can grow with them.

5. Learners Will Expect One Place to Access and Share Their Credentials

"It’s not a technology problem—it’s a human problem."

As digital credentials continue to grow, learners won’t want to juggle multiple platforms or logins. They’ll expect a simple, trusted way to store and share everything—from degrees and transcripts to badges and microcredentials.

While a single, universal wallet may never emerge, what matters is interoperability—the ability for different systems to communicate, exchange data securely, and maintain institutional and employer trust.

The institutions best positioned for this future are those already thinking beyond point solutions—those contributing to open standards, shared infrastructures, and learner-first systems that make access intuitive and secure.

Final Thoughts

Digital credentials are fast becoming core to how education connects with employment. In the years ahead, institutions that build trusted, skills-aligned, and scalable systems will be the ones that unlock the full value of what their learners know and can do.

Listen to the full podcast episode with Jason Weaver [here]

Explore how My eQuals is supporting institutions in building trusted digital credentialing ecosystems by booking a meeting here.