UTEP at Convergence: Building Microcredential Pathways

The big picture: UTEP’s team led by Beth Brunk, Dean of Extended University, joined higher education leaders at UPCEA’s Convergence Conference in New Orleans to share their process for developing microcredential pathways, contributing to a broader conversation about credential application and innovation in higher education.  

Why it matters: Alternative credentials, like microcredentials, are reshaping higher education. Convergence, co-hosted by UPCEA and AACRAO, is a hub for professionals pioneering these changes. Attendees explored and shared institutional strategies for equipping students with specialized skills—an essential combination in today’s job market. 

What they’re saying: 

• Dean Brunk shared on social media, “We had the opportunity to share UTEP’s Microcredential Pathways development process and framework as well as learn from other higher education institutions and partners.”  
   

•  J. Rolando Nuñez, Assistant Dean of the Woody L. Hunt College of Business, offered, “It was a privilege to share UTEP’s microcredential journey thus far with peers and colleagues. The conference provided a great platform to learn and share best practices in the microcredential space, providing actionable strategies for attendees to pilot or implement on their campuses. 
   

Zoom out: Convergence offers a unique space for collaboration across institutions, where chief online learning officers, registrars, and senior leaders in professional education can gather to discuss and design the future of credential innovation.  

Looking ahead: As microcredential innovation gains momentum, UTEP is committed to developing pathways for students to be academically prepared and “specifically skilled” in the marketplace.

Conferences like Convergence provide critical touchpoints for driving microcredential innovation and application forward.

Click here to learn more about the microcredentials offered at UTEP.