Wodonga TAFE has now begun to issue digitally certified awards through My eQuals and is complementing these official awards with the recognition of micro-credentials and associated short courses through My eQuals to all students studying at Wodonga TAFE. My eQuals will enable verifying organisations such as employers and other industry partners to request students to share their verified records through My eQuals, as the trusted and official source of their awards from Wodonga TAFE.

Since the official go-live in October 2022, Wodonga TAFE’s Student Administration team has successfully issued close to 2000 documents. Of these issued documents – over 800 have been Statement of Attainments and the remainder Certificates and the academic transcripts that accompany the Certificate.

The inclusion of My eQuals at Wodonga TAFE has several benefits, including the guarantee of the integrity and authenticity of the student’s documents. Students are also able to authorise sharing of their documents with employers and other training providers where required. This removes the need for copying and certifying of training records and enables easy verification of the student’s education claims. 

Wodonga TAFE’s Team Leader of Student Administration, Melissa Wise said “it is wonderful to see the project come to fruition, and the successful uptake by the TAFE’s students. It is great to be able to provide our students with secure documents and allow them the flexibility to share them with others as they need”

Jay Segeth, My eQuals Program Director at HES said, “HES and the My eQuals community are really excited for Wodonga TAFE to join the evolving network and enable their institution to issue verified academic records that maintain the integrity of their issued credentials.” 

“Digitary and Wodonga TAFE have worked extremely collaboratively over the past few months in establishing a My eQuals instance for Wodonga TAFE to start servicing their students with digitally certified awards. Understanding that Wodonga TAFE was keen to alleviate document fraud and enable a secure and streamlined system for Wodonga TAFE to utilise and issue to their students, we feel has been effectively achieved throughout this project,” says Daniel Hibbert, Director at Digitary by Parchment.

Wodonga TAFE joins over 74 education providers already serviced by the My eQuals solution, with more than 2.1  million students registered across Australian and New Zealand universities and training providers. A focus on security is critical to the platform’s success, with My eQuals data stored in Australia, using advanced cryptographic hardware and banking-level security. 

About Wodonga TAFE

Wodonga TAFE is proud of its reputation as a leading provider of vocational education and training, offering education and training programs to individuals and industry, locally and nationally. For further details visit www.wodongatafe.edu.au 

About My eQuals

My eQuals is the official tertiary credentials digital platform for the higher education sector, students, and verifiers. It is a Pan-Pacific solution providing easy, secure access to certified, official qualification records for Australian and New Zealand universities and their learners. For further details visit: www.myequals.edu.au 

About Digitary

Digitary was launched in Dublin, Ireland in 2005, and has grown to become the leading online platform for certifying, sharing, and verifying academic credentials. Learner-centric since the very start, Digitary enables millions of learners to access their verified achievements and to share them with others securely, quickly, and easily. Digitary is now used by organisations in over 135 countries. For further details visit www.digitary.net 

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AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT:

Jared Press, Manager, Brand, Marketing and Communications –jpress@wodongatafe.edu.au
Jay Segeth, My eQuals Program Director,  HES – jsegeth@hes.edu.au
Daniel Hibbert, Commercial Director, Digitary by Parchment – daniel.hibbert@digitary.net 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Jared Press, Manager, Brand, Marketing and Communications, Wodonga TAFE – jpress@wodongatafe.edu.au
Marni MacGilp, Manager, Portfolio Marketing, Digitary by Parchment – marni.macgilp@digitary.net

Europe and the UK

When it comes to educational attainment by learners in the United Kingdom, these individuals had the fifth highest average score in Europe, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings. Within this category, the country was outperformed only by Ireland, Poland, Finland and Estonia. 

This growth in performance is promising for the state of education in this region and is slated to persist with continued efforts from the government. In fact, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports that education spending is now the second-largest element of public service spending in the UK behind health — representing about 4.5% of national income.

The state of application rates in the UK

Despite concerns over COVID-19, applicants for students studying at home were up by 2.1% in 2020 and 5.1% in 2021, according to research from the UK Parliament. This increase was driven by a larger number of 18-year-olds in the population and higher application rates in this age group. Applications from other overseas students saw record level increases in 2020 and 2021. 

How many international students studied in the UK in 2020-2021?

In 2020-2021, there were 605,130 international students studying at UK higher education institutions, per a report from the Higher Education Statistics agency. Among these students, 152,905 were from the EU and 452,225 were non-EU learners — with Chinese students making up the largest group at 143,820 students in the 2020-2021 school year.

This represents a trend of considerable growth from the 485,645 international students pursuing their degrees in the UK in the 2018-2019 school year, according to Study UK. 

How many adults hold a tertiary degree in Europe?

According to education statistics from Eurostat researchers in 2021, 41% of the EU’s population aged 25-34 years had completed tertiary education. This portrays a clear gender difference, with 47% of women aged 25-34 completing tertiary education compared to 36% of men. 

Moving forward, the EU Member States have set a target of increasing the share of the EU population aged 25-34 who have completed tertiary education to 45% by 2030. The push for higher education from the government will prove to be an incredible boon to the education sector in this region. 

Australia and New Zealand

What is the market size of the Online Education industry in Australia?

The Online Education industry is characterised by education courses or units with at least 80% of the content delivered online. Recent years have seen an accelerated entry into the industry, as education institutions benefit from the greater accessibility and reliability of the internet and mobile technology — helping them attract, engage and retain more students. 

The market size of the Online Education industry was $8.4 billion in 2022, according to IBISWorld. With technological advancements, calls for flexible learning and the increasing penetration of mobile and smart devices, this growth is anticipated to continue. 

International student enrolment in Australia 

As a result of travel restrictions during the pandemic, the number of international students in Australia fell dramatically. According to ICEF Monitor, overall enrolments fell by 17% to 570,626 in 2021. Falling international enrollment worldwide inevitably had far-reaching effects on institutions after the pandemic — particularly on institutional revenue. 

However, the same report found the market in Australia is beginning to recover, with the number of visas granted to international students up by 34% in December 2021 versus December 2020. 

The United States

The growth of verified credentials

Verified credentials are an open standard for digital credentials — representing information found in physical credentials. With institutions increasing their digital strategies to provide an unparalleled learning experience, these digital credentials are a trend that’s anticipated to endure. 

According to a 2020 report from Forbes, the pandemic, along with evolving technology, accelerated a shift towards verifiable digital credentials in the United States, with a 70% increase in enrolment in short-term credential classes. 

The state of educational technology (EdTech) in the U.S. 

As demand for online learning grows, a larger investment of education spending is going to EdTech solutions. The global EdTech and smart classroom market size was valued at $88.82 billion in 2021, per a report from Fortune Business Insights. The market is now projected to grow to $319.65 billion by 2029, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.8%.

The U.S. is leading the global investment in EdTech with Holon IQ reporting $8.3 billion in funding in the U.S. — up from $2.5 billion in 2020. This is typically attributed to the reduced cost of online learning material and rising investments in the education sector.

Key statistics for Open Badges in the United States

Open Badges are a type of digital badge or credential that’s used to visually symbolise learning accomplishments. They can be awarded for any definable academic achievement and earned in a number of learning environments. 

As of 2020, the total number of all Open Badges issued to date, across the globe, stood at 43,363,239. This represents an 82% increase in total badges available to be earned and an 80% increase in issued badges. 

The U.S. represents a large portion of Open Badge distribution, according to 2020 findings from IMS Global which reported the total number of available badges to be earned from issuers in the United States at 381,561 — in comparison to the 475,000 available badges to be earned worldwide. 

India

With the highest number of universities worldwide, India is a huge segment of learners to keep in mind. Data from Statista found an estimated 5,288 universities in India — followed by the United States with 3,216 universities and Indonesia with 2,595 estimated institutions.

The growth of online learning in India and the Asia-Pacific region

According to the World Economic Forum, India saw 13.6 million learners enrol in online learning in 2021. At the country level, they’re now only topped by the United States — which saw 17.3 million students take advantage of online learning opportunities. 

This growth is being driven by supply, the demand for more flexible and convenient learning environments and macroeconomic conditions — including higher internet penetration, the reduced cost of online education and the greater availability of quality education in the region. 

However, regionally, the Asia-Pacific region saw the biggest growth in online student presence with 28 million new online learners enrolling for 68 million courses, followed by North America, Europe and Latin America. 

The rise of EdTech in the Asia-Pacific region

While the U.S. is currently the leader in EdTech investment and use, the Asia-Pacific region is positioning itself to be close behind. 

This region is not only seeing the rapid adoption of online learning but is now also the fastest-growing region worldwide in the adoption of EdTech — growing at a CAGR of 17.5% and rising from $17.6 billion in 2019 to $64.5 billion by 2027, per a report from TechHQ. 

According to Statista, the EdTech market in Japan alone is projected to grow to nearly 362.5 billion Japanese Yen (approximately $2.6 billion) by 2027.

How Digitary supports education institutions navigating learning today

The education sector today is characterised by digital solutions that are aimed at empowering both learners and institutions towards more successful outcomes — for the ultimate benefit of both parties. If your institution is ready to take advantage of tech solutions that can help your institution compete in a fiercely competitive educational environment, Digitary can help. 

The Digitary by Parchment solution allows institutions to take advantage of digital credentialing solutions with ease. Today, Digitary is a trusted partner to over 150 leading institutions worldwide, enabling millions of people to share their verified digital credentials and academic achievements online securely, quickly and easily. Our platform ultimately aims to help education providers streamline some of their most arduous processes while keeping institutions on pace with the technological expectations of learners, while improving the overall learning experience in the long run.

If your organisation is ready to leverage powerful digital solutions that can lead to more successful outcomes for your institution and its learners, contact us today for more information or get started.

What are digital badges?

Before taking a closer look at the true value digital badges can bring to the higher education sector, it’s essential to understand what they are and the intention behind them. Digital badges in education are essentially electronic symbols used as micro-credentials to declare and document achievement or skills mastered in different learning settings. This digital badging system has become a credible way for learners to establish portfolios and express knowledge — ultimately used in both academic and professional settings.

Why are higher education institutions adopting digital badging?

As higher education institutions navigate unprecedented learning environments and stiff competition, they’re constantly in pursuit of strategies that not only remove barriers to academic achievement for learners but also provide the flexibility needed to keep student achievement, engagement and enrolment elevated across the long term. As a result, digital badges have been increasingly introduced as a powerful technique to accomplish these institutional objectives while promoting lifelong learning along the way.

The digital badges market in the education sector is ultimately being driven by key factors including:

• The rise of eLearning and distance education: eLearning and distance learning opportunities have shown significant growth over the last decade, which was only accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• The increased adoption of online learning: Global disruptions also lead to an expedited adoption of online learning methods, along with the digital tools needed to promote successful outcomes. 
• The growing demand for greater accessibility and flexibility: Learners across the globe are in pursuit of learning opportunities that allow them to individualise their education and complete work at their own pace.
• The trend toward gamification: Gamification is being widely introduced as a strategy to improve learner engagement. This includes reward systems, such as open badges, to drive learner motivation, engagement and satisfaction long term. 

According to Valuates Reports, the global digital badge market is projected to reach $365.1 million by 2028 — growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.1% from 2022 to 2028. This emphasises the anticipated longevity of micro-credential-based digital badges in the education sector. 

Potential uses of digital badging in higher education

A digital badge system can inevitably help unify the representation of successful learning outcomes in higher education. A purposeful and comprehensive system can introduce learners to new pathways toward academic achievement and serve as a catalyst for these students to explore additional educational experiences. 

While open badge use is anticipated to grow in popularity in institutions across the globe, it’s important to note that standards are still being developed to promote consistency with the implementation and recognition of skills — whether soft skills or technical skills. This means higher education institutions should keep micro-credentials’ potential value in mind, alongside what they can offer today. 

As universities experiment with digital badging strategies, here are a few possible opportunities for these micro-credentials:

1. Assessment

The badge system provides a valuable framework for consistency with courses and evaluations. Digital badges, by nature, are used to certify the assessment and skill mastery of learners. However, well-designed badges can also provide a form of assessment for institutions to gauge what learners are interested in and engaging with most — aligning learning goals with outcomes.

2. Peer review and feedback 

Institutions can leverage open badges to generate valuable peer discussion feedback. This may, for example, become a fundamental badge course component to encourage communication while learners progress. Furthermore, digital badges can be used to monitor student performance, where institutions or instructors can provide individualised feedback — promoting improved outcomes moving forward.

Earned micro-credentials are also easily shared over social networks. Learners benefit from the opportunity to share their academic achievements with friends, family and their professional network, while institutions inevitably reach a wider audience with authentic endorsements. 

3. Professional development

As the popularity and use of digital credentials and open badges continue to grow, potential employers can use them to validate skills and knowledge. Higher education institutions can leverage badges as a tool to teach soft skills such as communication, time management and problem-solving — which will prove highly valuable for students as they enter the professional workforce. 

Considering an SHRM report stating three out of  four employers say they have a hard time finding graduates with the soft skills their companies need, prospective students may be eager for  this opportunity for professional development, especially alongside evidence. 

The benefits of digital badges — for both learners and institutions

With the growing use of digital badges in higher education institutions across national networks, several key parties stand to benefit as a result. Digital badging systems aid learners by:

• Providing recognition for acquiring a new skill or completing an online course.
• Allowing a potential employer or hiring manager to easily see and verify competence.
• Motivating students to develop new skills.
• Encouraging lifelong learning with opportunities for continued education and professional development.

As institutions introduce micro-credentialing strategies, students also have the unique opportunity to share any digital badge of competency with ease. This is not only a bonus for communications with alternative institutions and potential employers but also loved ones who can see digital badges that are shared on their social media sites.

While open badges and micro-credentials provide clear advantages to learners, higher education institutions are another key beneficiary of these solutions. By introducing this modern credentialing strategy, institutions can:

• Provide more flexible learning opportunities: Digital badges, and micro-credentials as a whole, are helping institutions offer alternative pathways to academic achievement. This not only supports unique learning needs, but also improves accessibility. As a result, institutions can drive enrollment — particularly amongst international students who might require more flexible learning options.

• Promote greater student mobility: As higher education universities progressively introduce micro-credentialing approaches for student learning, they’re ultimately promoting student mobility long term — where an open badge or digital credential has the potential to be recognised by another higher ed institution. 

• Drive student engagement and motivation: Badges awarded for knowledge and specific skill acquisition can have a positive impact on intrinsic motivation — considering a study from Forbes that found the introduction of open badges drove engagement and motivation in learners. 

• Improve course completion rates: A digital badging system’s inherent flexibility, along with the potential to improve learner engagement, will help institutions drive course completion rates moving forward. 
• Keep pace with competitors: In an increasingly digital world, higher education institutions are in need of advanced technological solutions to keep pace amid fierce competition. 

Introducing systems for digital credentialing with ease

The major shifts in the education sector in recent years have required higher education institutions to evolve to effectively accommodate these new forms of learning and workforce needs. In fact, research from Educause found that 13% of universities are actively engaging in the digital transformation — with 32% of these institutions working to develop a digital transformation strategy. With these trends projected to continue, it will be essential for higher education institutions to consider how digital technology can refine their processes and reputation.

Digitary by Parchment supports  education institutions in their pursuit of robust digital solutions by enabling millions of people to share their verified digital credentials and academic achievements online — securely, quickly and easily. Working with over 150 leading institutions across the globe, solutions from Digitary by Parchment are designed to help legitimate education providers give their learners an unparalleled experience.

Learn more about how Digitary CORE solutions can help your institution keep pace with digital trends in the education sector or submit an enquiry to get started.

The GDN Annual Meeting, 2022

At the GDN Annual Meeting, stakeholder representatives from over 100 organisations gathered to share, learn and lead discussions on strategies aimed at streamlining the exchange of authentic, autonomous educational data — with the expectation of fair recognition. The 2022 meeting, held October 12-14, centred on the themes of:

• Learner centricity.
• Interoperability.
• Lifelong learning. 

These ultimately highlight the interdependence of three key issues associated with digital credentialing solutions: All of which must be met to make digital learner data portability a global reality. 

How digital credential networks support international learner mobility

Kevin Martin, Higher Education, General Manager at Parchment, discussed some of the trends surrounding digital credentials in higher education today and how digital credential networks can support international learner mobility. 

Kevin explained that, in the face of the pandemic, education institutions and educators needed to shift from in-person platforms of teaching, learning and graduating to online platforms. And unfortunately, there’s been an increase in socioeconomic inequality because of a lack of access to virtual learning platforms. 

This means vulnerable learners, including  students escaping situations like war, rely on documents like transcripts, diplomas and certificates as tools for rebuilding their lives and regaining a sense of autonomy. Concurrently with the pandemic, wars and conflicts are making it difficult and nearly impossible for learners to access credentials relevant to their prior learning.

Over the last 10 years, these effects have been largely seen in:

• Syria.
• Afghanistan.
• Ukraine.

And, the affordability and the cost of studying abroad continue to be important considerations for international students. While studying abroad can offer a high-quality education, cultural and social experiences and a route to a better job, international education is one of the single largest investment decisions for many students due to the:

• High cost of tuition.
• Rising cost of living.
• Unfavourable currency exchange rates.

According to Research.com, the costs of attending a private and public university today are close to $48,510 and $21,370, respectively. This represents an increase of roughly 25% at private universities and about 30% at public universities since 2012.

Support for international learners today

Today, there are several significant projects, partnerships, companies and initiatives that are scaling academic and professional records exchange across the globe. Here are a few examples to note:

• Through the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertifMC National Network, Canadian colleges and universities are providing credential wallets tolearners, giving them 24-7 access and helping them securely send their documents, badges, micro-credentials, transcripts and parchments — anytime, anywhere.
• My eQuals, managed by Higher Education Services (HES), is the official tertiary digital credentials platform for the Australian and New Zealand higher education sector, students and verifiers.

At Digitary by Parchment, our globally trusted online platform — launched in Dublin, Ireland, in 2005 — is now used by employers, education providers and government agencies in over 125 countries. Digitary CORE helps institutions and organisations verify the authenticity of degrees, transcripts and other academic records online. 

However, to build toward a united future, standards need to be set. Organisations that will play a critical role in casting the vision for, and standards of, academic credentials include:

• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
• The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC).
• 1EdTech.

How credential innovation empowers learners 

New Credentials have emerged to provide a fuller picture of a learner’s capability — representing the breadth of what learners know and can do as a result of their learning. This has led to tremendous innovation in credentials, including: 

• Academic transcripts.
• Diplomas.
• Certificates.
• Badges.
• Comprehensive Learner Records.

Institutions are quickly and increasingly partnering with organisations like those mentioned earlier to create new pathways, communicate more content and make these credentials actionable for learners. 

What to expect moving forward

Kevin also spoke about how the emergence of digital credentials has been creating a culture of recognition, and the next step is to put those credentials to work.

This means, employees will need to learn new skills as demand moves from physical and cognitive to more technical and socialisation skills, and employers are progressively utilising skills-based hiring. Because of this, there’s an even greater need for skills data. Digital credentials will become the building blocks for both job seekers and employers as the marketplace for skills and technology becomes more sophisticated. 

Given the compelling need to work together and the increasing use of digital technologies, the global collaboration surrounding these initiatives is more valuable than ever to: 

1. Continue to build national networks.
2. Bridge these national networks to ensure that we have interoperable systems built to inform and empower greater student mobility.

By connecting national networks and providing access to equitable, interoperable systems that enhance learner mobility, institutions can adequately support international learners — particularly the most vulnerable populations in our localities, countries and the world. 

Continued support from partners like Digitary

Digitary by Parchment is a GDN patron organisation with a like-minded belief that learners should be able to access and share their digital credentials, including certificates, transcripts, diploma supplements, Higher Education Achievement Reports (HEARs) and more, securely and easily.  

Digitary CORE (Certified Online Records Exchange) is a leading secure online platform for certifying, sharing and verifying digital academic credentials worldwide. Our platform is ultimately designed to empower learners on their lifelong learning journey while supporting higher education institutions in pursuit of providing an unparalleled student experience. 

Discover more about how Digitary’s solutions support interoperability and learner centricity or submit an enquiry to get started.

What is educational technology?

Before diving into the main technology trends within the educational domain, it’s vital to understand what exactly this technology is. Educational technology, or EdTech, refers to the combined use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. Simply put, it’s the practice of introducing IT tools into the education sector to foster a more engaging, inclusive and individualised learning experience.

Why is EdTech important?

These digital tools are becoming a significant factor in providing students with the flexibility, access, personalisation and information they need to succeed. In fact, a report from Brookings found evidence indicating that technology can accelerate student learning when it’s used to scale up access to quality content, facilitate differentiated instruction, increase opportunities for practice and review or improve student engagement. These advanced solutions can also serve as an important supplement to learners’ coursework — driving student achievement even further.

Top technology trends in the education sector today

Higher education institutions are intent on seeing their students succeed. However, in today’s modern education system, that might require implementing the technology trends that are giving other universities a powerful competitive advantage. If you’ve been on the search for educational technology trends that can benefit learners, educators and the institution at large, here are some of the key tools to consider:

Online learning

Online learning has quickly become a new staple within the learning process — which was unquestionably accelerated by the pandemic. However, as digital tools continue to evolve and daily routines return to normal, the fact remains that online learning is here to stay. Online learning, often used interchangeably with eLearning, blended learning, distance learning and virtual learning, is a method of education whereby students learn in a virtual environment. This enables students to engage with an academic institution and other students despite geographic location while providing greater flexibility as they work towards a degree or certificate.

Digital credentials

Another example of these emerging trends involves education institutions introducing verified digital credentials. Digital credentials are essentially the digital equivalent of paper-based credentials — which are tamper-proof and can be verified cryptographically. This trend aims to make the issuing, sharing, accepting and verifying of credentials simple and secure for learners, institutions and other third parties. Learners can even collect verified digital diplomas, digital certificates or digital badges they’ve earned in a digital wallet — which can be easily accessed when needed.

Student analytics 

When it comes to the learning process, education institutions and educators have quickly found that utilising robust data and analytics is a key factor in driving student achievement. Learning analytics rely on the pillars of researching, tracking progress and analysing data — ultimately helping institutions make more intelligent decisions with the collected information. This data-driven trend offers a number of valuable benefits including:

• Improving the quality of learning and teaching.
• Helping educators measure a learner’s growth and predict academic success.
• Identifying students at risk of failing or dropping out — empowering institutions to intervene before it’s too late.

SSI 

Self-Sovereign Identity, or SSI as it is commonly known, is an approach to digital identity that gives individuals control of their digital identities and personal data. This new trend has a few main elements to note:

• SSI credentials are verifiable anytime, anywhere.
• Personal data is decentralised.
• An SSI solution aims to eliminate the need for multiple passwords.

This digital trust solution ultimately enables the sharing of data in a new, controlled and trusted way. Not only does SSI benefit learners, but institutions can expect to see a number of advantages as well. An advanced SSI solution can help universities increase efficiency, improve security and trust, increase user control, lower costs and, maybe most importantly, mitigate the risk of fraud. Implementing strategies to reduce fraud and increase security as digital identities and remote learning expands will prove essential, considering the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) found the education industry ranked 5th out of 23 different industries for reported fraud.

Gamification

For institutions looking to increase student engagement, gamification is a leading educational technology trend that can quickly elevate the learning experience. In fact, statistics from Zippia show that 67% of students agree that gamified learning is both more motivating and engaging than traditional classes. Gamification essentially refers to applying game-like mechanics to educational content where students can engage with the learning material — ultimately reducing fatigue and disinterest. Institutions that implement gamification also typically utilise award systems in the form of digital badges, to encourage engagement even further — where learners can leverage these “awards” to their advantage in the future. 

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)

A number of higher education institutions have also started introducing opportunities for AR and VR to enhance their learning environment. Augmented reality and virtual reality aim to transform the classroom into a more interactive and immersive experience. These digital tools can help universities:

• Engage learners’ senses.
• Allow students to view environments and learning material in a new light.
• Provide a more enjoyable learning experience.
• Make complex topics and subjects seem more approachable.

AR and VR investments within the educational domain are anticipated to be significant in the coming years considering 97% of students claim they would like to study a VR course, per statistics from The App Solutions. In fact, VR in education alone is predicted to be a $700 million industry by 2025.

The benefits of utilising educational technology

These emerging trends likely represent the tip of the iceberg of how educational technology will be able to flip a traditional classroom into a more engaging and immersive learning experience. While introducing new digital tools in higher education certainly requires work and effort on the part of the institution, along with its educators, the results speak for themselves. Utilising educational technology and advanced solutions can provide valuable benefits including:

• Introducing improved accessibility: The evolution of digital tools and solutions in the educational domain has led to a significant improvement in accessibility. Not only can learners access content 24/7, but it also removes the barrier of geographic location from the equation altogether — so students can learn from anywhere, anytime. 

• Offering students greater flexibility: A growing desire for learners is the flexibility to learn when and where they see fit — considering all students learn and interpret information differently. Leveraging emerging technological trends enables students to learn at their own pace and tailor courses to their capabilities.

• Helping educators and institutions stay organised: Managing content, data, analytics and credentials can be a daunting task for educators and institutions. Introducing improved solutions for collecting, tracking and reporting this valuable information can quickly streamline the process for management and future use.

• Having a wider range of materials at your disposal: With the vast array of educational technology that’s available today, taking advantage of these tools can offer students options to choose what’s best for their unique learning needs — which ultimately leads to more successful academic outcomes.

• Providing an enhanced experience for students: As new tools are introduced into the educational domain, the ultimate goal of institutions stays the same: promote student learning, provide the best experience possible and drive learning success. This overarching theme is true across these emerging technological trends, which aim to elevate the learning experience by giving students the exact tools they need to succeed.

• Implementing personalised learning opportunities: All learners are different, and new educational resources are opening the door for educators and students alike to tailor learning plans for a more personalised experience. Modifying learning paths and offering the opportunity for students to work at their own pace is an effective way to support unique learning journeys.
• Improving instructor productivity and efficiency: Overall, digital tools are a valuable option for educators to achieve new levels of productivity, expand learning opportunities for learners and increase student support and engagement. They streamline the process for both instructors and learners to upgrade learning experiences and improve the chances of academic success.

Leveraging advanced technology in the education sector with Digitary 

If your institution is ready to implement some of the most valuable trends in digital tools and emerging educational technology, Digitary can help. With an understanding that learning is a lifelong journey, Digitary aims to facilitate this progress while helping education providers give their learners an unparalleled experience.

Digitary CORE is a secure online platform that enables the world’s leading institutions, employers and government agencies to certify, issue, accept and verify academic credentials worldwide. While simplifying this process for third parties, learners also benefit from a streamlined process for sharing their digital credentials online quickly, securely and easily. This trusted credentialing solution makes verifying and managing official documents simpler than ever. Within the platform, digital credentials provide users with greater control, mitigate fraud and increase efficiency and credential management overall.

Digitary has been a trusted partner for over 150 leading institutions globally, helping education providers streamline some of their most arduous processes and promoting student success. If your organisation is ready to leverage powerful solutions such as digital credentials and SSI, contact us today for more information to get started.

IHEA Members Live on My eQuals

Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE)

As Australia’s leading provider of specialist undergraduate degrees in the related disciplines of sport, dance, health, business, and physical education, it was ideal to implement My eQuals to offer their learners with anytime access to digitised academic credentials for work readiness.

“ACPE are proud to have joined the My eQuals community in 2022, with the ability to issue digital credential documents and badges to recognise our students qualifications, skills and competencies. The My eQuals solution aligns with our objectives of having ACPE students becoming the best version of themselves and through My eQuals by being able to present the best version of themselves with their earned credentials. The My eQuals and Digitary teams have been extremely supportive in setting ACPE up to issue through the My eQuals platform and we look forward to continuing to work closely together ongoing.” says Debbie Le Roux, CEO, Australian College of Physical Education.

ACPE is passionate about adopting digital technologies for the purpose of supporting students in a modern learning environment and sees My eQuals as a strong solution to enable their goals.

Avondale University

Avondale University, a leading not-for-profit provider of tertiary education, were keen to join the My eQuals community to be able to offer their students digital access to their official academic records. Enabling them to access and be recognised wherever they are in the world for further study and employment opportunities.

“Avondale University joined the My eQuals community recently and we are looking forward to being able to digitally issue our students with their credentials that can be accessed and recognised anywhere in the world. The My eQuals and Digitary teams were very supportive during our implementation, and we are excited to empower our students with a recognised digital experience upon graduation.” says Kevin Petrie, Vice-Chancellor and President, Avondale University.

Avondale University offers undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational (VET) courses across Arts, Business, Teaching, Nursing, Ministry and Theology and Outdoor Leadership. 

Christian Heritage College (CHC)

When My eQuals was conceived it was to support a learners life-long learning journey. Christian Heritage College (CHC), passionately believe that their course offerings are not just about gaining a degree or a specific skill set for future employment (as important as these are) but, rather, the development of the whole person. By implementing the My eQuals solutions and enabling 24/7 access to digital academic achievements, CHC is enabling students and graduates to be able to showcase their whole self.

“Christian Heritage College is proud to join the My eQuals community and is looking forward to using My eQuals to offer our students digital access to their official academic credentials, that they can access anywhere and be recognised wherever they are in the world for further study and employment opportunities” says Jacqueline Greentree, Director of Quality and Standards, Christian Heritage College (CHC). 

As a member of IHEA, CHC was able to take advantage of the greater cost savings for their participation due to the agreement between My eQuals and IHEA, with the implementation  helping to improve processes and student experience. 

Governance Institute of Australia

Through the membership agreement with IHEA, Governance Institute of Australia implemented the My eQuals solution, offering their community of 43,000 governance and risk management professionals access to their official digital academic credentials, competencies, and achievements, anywhere around the world. 

“The team was very helpful and gave us all the training needed to ensure a smooth transition into understanding the workings of administering My eQuals for our graduating students. All training was clear and concise,  overall an easy streamlined customer focused group who like to work with you to ensure a successful implementation. We are looking forward to using My eQuals for the first time in the coming weeks and we are confident we feel supported by the team to ensure a smooth run.” said Belinda Prentoski​, Senior Administrator, Governance Institute of Australia.

As the only Australian provider of chartered governance accreditation, Governance Institute of Australia offers a range of short courses, certificates and postgraduate study to help further the knowledge and education of the fast-growing governance and risk management profession. This made My eQuals the perfect solution to offer their members with anytime access to their digitised awards and certificates.

International College of Hotel Management (ICHM)

International College of Hotel Management’s (ICHM) focus on the learning of tomorrow to create industry ready graduates with the skills, networks and hands on experience they need, was what drew ICHM to the My eQuals solution, being able to offer their students the tools to hit the ground running.

“ICHM are excited to have joined the My eQuals community in 2022, to enable our students to be recognised with their earned credentials and have access immediately so that they can hit the ground running into employment with the recognition of skills and hands on experience provided by ICHM. As a participating institution on My eQuals, the ability to provide secure digitally certified credentials that can be accessed and recognised wherever they are, helps ensure our students are receiving a valuable digital experience at ICHM.” says Kellie Lumsden, Head of ICHM, ICHM.

With the newly implemented My eQuals solution ICHM will also issue to their COVID affected cohorts so that the last 2 years of students will get a My eQuals record. 

Marcus Oldham College

For Marcus Oldham College, My eQuals had been on their radar for some time. As an independent Higher Education institution the opportunity became an option for the institution through their membership with IHEA. The ability to have a way for students and graduates to be in control of their official academic records, and who they share it with, fit very well with the College’s student-centered approach to teaching and learning. 

“The implementation process ran very smoothly with input from our Director of Teaching and Learning Governance Heather Davis, IT Manager Scott Vanderkley and Student Support Officer Cathy Bell, working closely with the My eQuals team to set up a system that works specifically for our needs.“ says Andrew Baker, Principal, Marcus Oldham College.

Not only was the ability for students to have easier access to their achievements a big draw card but also using banking-level digital security to assure validity, security and privacy for personal information contained in each record was also important for the College, as a measure of their commitment to high standards of academic and corporate governance. From a workload perspective, they expect to save a lot of time by being able to automate the production of interim and final transcripts at the end of each year, and now they have the added opportunity to securely provide official digital testamurs and College prizes.

My eQuals is reinventing how awards, achievements and other credentials are shared in education by putting students at the center of the experience. The My eQuals platform has been widely adopted by tertiary education institutions in Australia and New Zealand making it possible for learners to access official digital academic credentials, competencies, and achievements securely and easily from anywhere around the world.

About My eQuals

My eQuals is the official tertiary credentials digital platform for the higher education sector, students and verifiers. It is a Pan-Pacific solution providing easy, secure access to certified, official qualification records for Australian and New Zealand universities and their learners.

My eQuals was conceived in 2015 in response to the need for higher education institutions to have an easy and secure place to issue and manage official credentials for their students and graduates. It also recognised the need for those learners to have an easy and secure place to view and share the same credentials in a way that they could be easily verified by employers, recruitment professionals and verification agencies. For further details visit: www.myequals.edu.au

About Digitary

Digitary was launched in Dublin, Ireland in 2005, and has grown to become the leading online platform for certifying, sharing, and verifying academic credentials. Learner-centric since the very start, Digitary enables millions of learners to access their verified achievements and to share them with others securely, quickly, and easily. Digitary is now used by organisations in over 135 countries. For further details visit www.digitary.net 

About Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA)

IHEA represents the majority of Australia’s registered and accredited independent higher education providers. Their membership includes independent universities and colleges with campuses across Australia. IHEA members educate students in a range of disciplines including Law, Engineering, Agricultural Science, Architecture, Business, Accounting, Tourism and Hospitality, Education, Health Sciences, Theology, Creative Arts, Information Technology and Social Sciences. For further details visit www.ihea.edu.au 

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AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT:

Dr Peter Hendy, CEO, Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA) – peter.hendy@ihea.edu.au 

Scott Clayton, Operations Manager, Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA) – scott.clayton@ihea.edu.au 

Jay Segeth, My eQuals Program Director, Higher Education Services (HES) – jsegeth@hes.edu.au

Daniel Hibbert, Commercial Director, Digitary – daniel.hibbert@digitary.net

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Matthew Coote, Communications Manager, Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA) – matthew.coote@ihea.edu.au 

Karen Hanna, My eQuals Communications Manager, Higher Education Services (HES)  – khanna@hes.edu.au

Marni MacGilp, Higher Education Portfolio Marketing Manager, Digitary – marni.macgilp@digitary.net