Skills Come First. The Podcast About How to Stay Current

Microcredentials are the future of education

How do we build a knowledge-based society? How will humanity cope with the “new species” that is Artificial Intelligence? And where can we find an end to the existential crises born from the awareness of our own mortality? These are the themes explored by Dr Maciej Kawecki and the podcast’s host, Łukasz Grass.

In this episode of the podcast, Łukasz Grass talks with Maciej Kawecki – President of the Lem Institute, Director of the Innovation Centre at WSB Merito University in Warsaw, science journalist, and one of Poland’s most prominent science popularisers.

Mission: A knowledge-based society

In an era of constant information overload, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between knowledge and opinion. With the decline of traditional authority figures, we find ourselves in need of content that is verifiable and dependable. Science, despite the tensions and oversimplifications it sometimes faces, remains one of the few fields still rooted in facts, methodology, and linguistic accountability. However, the condition for its success is the ability to speak a language people understand and a willingness to engage in dialogue.

“We are living through a crisis of authority. We need objective content to ground our knowledge. Science is the most objective source we have,” says Maciej Kawecki.

This is particularly vital at a time when public trust in almost any source of knowledge is at an all-time low.

Microcredentials: the future of education

The way we learn and develop skills is changing. It is no longer a strictly formal, one-size-fits-all process; instead, it happens alongside professional and life challenges. In this context, microcredentials are becoming a tool to organise skills: they are flexible, concise, and more practical than traditional degrees. They don’t replace higher education, but they do complement it, keeping pace with the speed of technological change and the job market. According to the expert, microcredentials are the future of education.

“The era of higher education is ending. To build a career, you no longer need a degree; you need talent and the ability to master it. That’s how Silicon Valley has operated for a long time. Half of my team haven’t finished university, yet they are brilliant young people,” Dr Maciej Kawecki emphasises.

Growth and its darker side

Continuous learning and the expansion of knowledge come at a price. The more aware we become, the more frequently we find ourselves questioning meaning, boundaries, and balance. Personal growth that leaves no room for error, rest, or vulnerability can easily lead to burnout. This is why mental hygiene, relationships, contact with nature and approaching psychological support as a natural part of maintaining mental wellness become meaningful topics of our conversations. 

“You cannot build a business or technology without making mistakes. The pressure for perfection suppresses the ability to act, so we shouldn’t place such an enormous burden on ourselves,” Dr Kawecki advises.

AI: A new context for education

The development of Artificial Intelligence is one of the most critical benchmarks for the future. It isn’t just changing how we work; it’s changing how we define human intelligence and knowledge. The pace of this shift is unprecedented, requiring education to provide more than just technical tools or competencies. It is becoming increasingly important to learn how to navigate a world where uncertainty is a permanent fixture of everyday life.

“For the first time, we as humanity are dealing with something that could be called a new species. We are only just beginning to define our relationship with it,” observes Maciej Kawecki.

To learn more about AI as a “new species” and the human dilemmas that follow, watch the full podcast episode!