We all are aware that today there are more ways of learning than ever before. This has triggered emergence of conventional, part-time, full-time, distance and online approaches.
Simultaneously, global developments necessitate the reorientation of existing educational structures and the creation of new ones to enable students to face new challenges.
Flexibility to learners
Latest research indicates that today, people want to learn in different ways that support their needs and preferences. While it is important that we meet that demand, we also need to give learners flexibility in terms of what they want and when they want it. I remember the crisis introduced during the Covid-19 situation when classrooms across the world were forced to be online. On the other side it also affected the purchasing power and affordability of the large number of students. Based on the initial research followed crisis experiences, I remember when I first published the UN Chronicle article regarding the formulation and development of a new educational structure and mode—the ‘Global Degree’—which was conceived to fill a gap in higher education globally.
This new norm, by definition, aims to create a new higher education ecosystem in which educational institutions deliver the courses and not only the degrees. When I saw that the University Grants Commission of India adopting Academic Bank of Credits in 2022, I found that the governments, regulatory bodies and academic institutions are ready to take the challenge and move forward with the new-age approach to education, which brings affordability, quality and flexibility with the global learning opportunities, which is the spirit of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4.0 on Quality Education.
Concise and innovative
The Global Degree concept, which has the mission of ‘one world, one degree, limitless capabilities’, is concise and innovative, blending conventional and distance learning without abolishing existing structures. If established, it has potential to revolutionise higher education globally. It mainly offers solution for a better and effective education experience for important stakeholders through:
- Combining the academic credits from different modes of education delivery into one standardised format and thus, making the interpretation and understanding of educational accomplishment simple.
- Addressing current inadequacies at country and institutional levels due to multiplicity of credit systems and mechanisms.
- Improving the learning by making it more targeted, flexible, current, and applicable.
- Accommodating and synchronising the different aspects of learning including lifelong learning, recognition of prior learning and continuing education.
- Offering greater international student mobility by flexible and transparent credit transfer system.
Extensive hybrid
More specifically, what is proposed is an ‘extensive hybrid’ higher education methodology, whereby each student would build his or her own undergraduate or postgraduate degree regardless of the mode of attendance (full-time, part-time, distance learning), the method of study (through conventional class attendance, e-learning, virtual learning, “Second Life”, etc.), the physical location of the university or even the language used at the institution.
The Global Degree can work in parallel with conventional degrees offered by universities around the world without replacing the existing higher education structures. It can be implemented through institutional arrangements or ideally through ‘International Academic Treaty’ to accept the “International Academic Credit” (IAC) as a parallel to systems already in use. Such institutions can then be able to award Global Degrees to successful candidates without affecting the awarding power associated with traditional degrees.
Graduates holding a Global Degree would acquire the same academic and professional rights as those with a conventional degree in the country of the awarding institution and internationally, where possible.
India is hosting G20 this year. The country is already innovating in higher education on similar lines of Global Degree through Academic Bank of Credits. Time for G20 stakeholders to think and start working together for greater impact globally!