Micro-credentials: A Trend or the Future of Education?

There are several different groups of people who benefit from micro-credentials.

The primary group consists of professionals who already have some form of higher education but need additional expertise from another field to perform their job more effectively — without having to complete an entirely new degree program.

For example, a software developer may want to deepen their academic knowledge specifically in Artificial Intelligence — a rapidly evolving field — but it would not make sense for them to study computer science or programming fundamentals all over again. Similarly, a doctor, IT manager, or business professional may want to expand their expertise in areas such as rhetoric, marketing, or intercultural communication.

Another important group includes people with little or no professional experience who want to demonstrate to future employers that they are proactive and practically educated in a specific area related to a desired role. Completing a micro-credential can help them start working in a new field, for example in a junior position.

For these learners, programs such as Basics of Accounting or Fundamentals of Software Testing provide practical experience and a clear understanding of what to expect in a given profession. In many cases, participants also leave with a tangible outcome they can present — such as a marketing strategy, a software testing scenario, or a simple functional application they developed themselves.

I do not like to compare these two areas directly, because I do not see them as competing products, but rather as complementary forms of education.

For professionals already working in their field, micro-credentials provide an opportunity to gain expertise in related areas they increasingly need in practice. For example, an IT specialist who has spent years focusing purely on programming may be promoted into a management role and suddenly need knowledge of strategy, finance, leadership, or business processes.

For beginners or people looking to change careers, micro-credentials offer a manageable way to start learning something new alongside their existing responsibilities. This can include parents returning from parental leave who want to requalify for the current job market after a longer career break.

For university students who do not want to spend several years focused only on studying, this format also creates space to gain practical experience while staying connected to the depth and broader value of higher education — which we consider important, both academically and socially. Universities have traditionally provided a space not only for learning modern tools or economic models, but also for discussing their ethical implications. That broader perspective is often missing in standard short-term training courses.

At the same time, we often see people use micro-credentials as a way to “test” whether university-level studies are right for them — whether they can manage them and whether they find them meaningful. And for many, the answer is yes. After completing one micro-credential, they often enroll in several more the following semester, or even begin a full degree program.

That is one of the clearest signs for us that micro-credentials are not just a temporary trend or hype, but a genuinely valuable and practical educational format that allows even people with limited time capacity to reconnect with lifelong professional education.

The first thing I would look at is the institution offering it — that alone often says a lot about the quality of the program.

In the Czech Republic, not just anyone can officially offer micro-credentials. The creation of these programs is governed by clearly defined rules and standards. At the moment, only universities are authorized to provide officially recognized micro-credentials. There are currently around 27 institutions involved, and the complete list can be verified on the official website: https://mikrocertifikat.cz/, where all approved providers are required to be listed.

Of course, I cannot speak for the entire market, but in our case — where we focus on education in IT, AI, and management and support professionally oriented micro-credentials — these are also the areas with the highest number of graduates.

Personally, I would highlight our micro-credentials in Energy, Cybersecurity, and Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence for Managers and Administrative Professionals as some of our flagship professional programs. The AI-focused program is especially relevant right now, as it can also serve as practical training in the basics of safe AI usage and awareness of the broader implications of the AI Act — something that is increasingly important for employers.

Among our most popular reskilling programs is Fundamentals of Software Testing. Although it is a relatively new micro-credential, it builds on our long-established testing academy, which attracted significant interest last year, partly because students could receive government financial support for the course.

In the management field, our favorite areas include marketing, HR, and accounting. These micro-credentials are also new, but they are based on courses that have already been highly rated by students in our standard university programs.

Over the past year, we have also seen a significant increase in interest in micro-credentials such as Fundamentals of Machine Learning and Full-Stack Developer. In our view, this is directly connected to the growing popularity of generative AI tools.

Today, many people realize that starting to code — often referred to as “vibe coding” — has become much easier with AI. However, without at least a basic understanding of backend systems and databases, people are often unable to properly use, improve, or troubleshoot what they quickly generate with AI tools.

On the other hand, when someone works alongside a senior developer or a team, completes a foundational course, and understands the core principles, they can use these tools very effectively — at least at the prototyping level — and become much better at communicating requirements and collaborating with development or IT teams.

And that is exactly what we aim for: practical, applicable knowledge that people can immediately use in real-world situations.