Inaugural ‘Summit on Innovating Academic Credentials’ Convenes Thought Leaders & Experts
Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) December 15, 2015 -- Parchment and Connecting Credentials National Dialogue - an initiative supported by Lumina Foundation - today announced the First Annual Summit on Innovating Academic Credentials. The Parchment Summit will gather leaders from higher education, business, philanthropy and technology on Wednesday, February 17 in Washington D.C. to explore the transformative potential of technology in extending the reach and meaning of academic credentials. Anthony P. Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, will open the day’s discussion, followed by panel discussions, workshops, and additional keynote addresses.
"Our current credentialing system is too fragmented," said Carnevale. "The many credentials out there -- including certificates, licenses, college degrees, industry-based certifications, even apprenticeships -- all have labor market value. But we need a transparent and comprehensive system for tracking their economic value."
Today, academic credentials share limited information about what graduates know and are able to do. Some college and universities are using technology to convert transcripts, degrees and certificates into machine-readable credentials, creating unprecedented opportunities to convey the value and meaning of educational experiences.
“Employers are asking for better insight into the discrete competencies and skills that make up today’s academic credentials. Around the country, colleges and universities are beginning to reimagine how we convey the experiences and learnings that make up the degree. By taking a new approach to academic credentials, students are able to better map those to new educational and job opportunities,” said Matthew Pittinsky Ph.D., Parchment Chief Executive Officer. “The goal of the Parchment Summit is to spotlight and uncover new ways to empower both learners and employers.”
Arthur Levine of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation will offer a keynote address, along with panel discussions with innovators from Princeton University, General Assembly, University of Maryland University College, IMS Global, Innovate + Educate, and Burning Glass, among others.
“We know that postsecondary credentials are increasingly the gateway to good jobs and career advancement. Our goal with the Summit is to create a shared vision among higher education and employers for a learning-based credentialing system to ensure tangible benefits for students,” said Larry Good, chairman at Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and lead at Connecting Credentials. “We are pleased to partner with Parchment to foster multidisciplinary collaboration between technologists and practitioners, higher education leaders and employers.”
Panel discussions and workshops will include:
The Changing Paradigm of Higher Education’s Role in Career Formation
The Credential Ecosystem: Making Sense of Badges, Certificates, Diplomas, ePortfolios
The New Language of Credentials – Unbundling and Stacking
Ensuring Interoperability and Usability
Innovations in the Transcript
Credentials as Labor Market Signals
The Parchment Summit will be held Wednesday, February 17th, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Renaissance Washington D.C. Dupont Circle Hotel. To learn more or attend, visit http://www.ParchmentSummit.com.
About Parchment
Parchment is the most advanced academic credential management system available, allowing learners, academic institutions, and employers to request, verify, and share credentials in simple and secure ways. The platform has helped millions of people and thousands of schools and universities exchange more than 20 million transcripts and other credentials globally. Founded in 2003, Parchment Inc. is headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, with offices in Roseville, CA, Denver, CO, Grand Rapids, MI, Toronto, ON and Washington, DC. Follow Parchment on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Tami Nealy, Parchment, http://www.parchment.com, +1 480-719-1646 Ext: 1014, [email protected]
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