A Guide for Canadian Postsecondary Education: Online Macro-credentials

TORONTO - Keypath Education has released a guide that suggests a new direction for postsecondary education in Canada by defining an online macro-credential framework and describing how it helps meet the needs of both working learners and employers. 

“There is an opportunity here for postsecondary schools to support a new kind of student in their careers as we continue to see evolution in ‘the future of work,’” said Graeme Owens, Executive Vice President at Keypath Education Canada. “By offering high-quality, skills-driven education online, colleges and universities could be adding a diverse, motivated, and exciting set of learners into their educational communities—all while the student has the chance to stay in theirs, fulfilling professional and personal obligations that would otherwise prevent them from entering a traditional course of study.”  

The guide defines and contextualizes online macro-credentials; introduces Keypath’s framework needed to create a successful program; and outlines the way forward for postsecondary schools, learners, and employers. Keypath’s framework offers five core principles of successful online macro-credential programs, whether they are built as new offerings or developed through the transformation of an institution’s existing post-secondary programs:

• Goal-focused
• Accessible 
• Interdisciplinary
• Needs-driven
• Learner impact

“Right now, the labour-market demand for highly qualified individuals is outpacing the supply of those skills,” said Owens. “Working professionals have to choose between uprooting their lives, complete with family and professional obligations; or standing still in their lives, unable to advance where they are, or transition to a related—or completely different—field.” 

According to a recent survey conducted by The Strategic Counsel, of the 1,341 university students interviewed coming out of the pandemic, one-in-five indicated that “if given the choice, they’d still take those courses mostly or entirely online.” 

Online macro-credentials are well-positioned to meet the needs and objectives of a number of groups: postsecondary institutions, learners and communities, employers and policymakers. These programs can provide a valuable contribution to the spectrum of educational options to prepare Canadians for the “future of work.” 

You can download the guide here. 

About Keypath Education:
Founded in 2014, Keypath is a global, market-leading EdTech company in the online program management (OPM) market. In collaboration with its 34 university partners, Keypath delivers 140 career-relevant, technology-enabled online higher education programs to over 30,000 students with the goal of preparing them for the future of work.

The suite of services Keypath provides to its university partners includes designing, developing, launching, marketing, and managing online programs. Keypath also undertakes market research and provides student recruitment, support and placement services. The services Keypath provides are underpinned by KeypathEDGE, its integrated technology and data platform.

Keypath has over 600 employees with offices and partners in Australia, the United States, Canada, the UK and Malaysia.

For more information contact:
Ashley McGuire
Keypath Education
ashley.mcguire@keypathedu.com