Skills Come First. The Podcast About How to Stay Current

Higher education will prevail?

Is the era of higher education coming to its end? Will alternative ways of certifying skills, such as microcredentials, replace or perhaps complement traditional university degrees? These are among the questions explored by podcast host Łukasz Grass and his guest, Professor Grzegorz Mazurek.

Professor Grzegorz Mazurek – the Rector of Kozminski University, educational worker at the University Department of Marketing, Director of The Research Centre for the Digital Transformation of Economy and Society (CYBERMAN) – joins the latest episode of the podcast. 

Demand for higher education is not slowing down

Is the era of higher education over? Are those who claim they don’t need a degree to build a career right? Will microcredentials replace university studies?

“If we view a university as a hard-to-access institution offering a fixed, non-negotiable set of values, where one follows a pre-set curriculum and leaves with a diploma, then yes – we could talk about the end of that era. But that is just one outdated model of studying that will soon disappear. I see universities quite differently: as a space for broad development, where gaining knowledge is just one part of the wider value of the university experience,” says Professor Grzegorz Mazurek.

According to the Rector of Kozminski University, those universities that take a broad view of student development need not worry about their future. The condition, however, is adapting study formats to modern requirements. As the expert notes, the demand for education is enormous and continues to grow. This demand can be met by leading universities that not only offer traditional forms of education but also expand their offerings with, among other things, microcredentials.

“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that microcredentials might, to some extent, replace traditional Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees,” remarks Professor Grzegorz Mazurek.

Microcredentials can also complement these degrees, forming an essential part of a well-tailored higher education, one that is based less on pursuing a single, predefined field of study, but more on selecting the courses and subjects that are most relevant and valuable to an individual. 

Real education is about relationships

As part of degree programmes, microcredentials respond to the needs of a wide range of learners, both younger and older. However, they won’t completely replace higher education because its true meaning isn’t solely about gaining specific competences or expanding knowledge.

“About 50% of the value of university life comes from interactions, whether with fellow students or lecturers. Development isn’t just about picking up one specific skill in a given field. The most important skill for the future is critical thinking, which you can’t learn from an online course. For that, you need contact with others, discussions, and the clashing of different viewpoints,” emphasises Professor Grzegorz Mazurek.

The Rector of Kozminski University believes that a university is essentially a hub where a person – not necessarily a young one, as you can become a student at any age – can truly grow.

“The point is not simply to complete a specific degree programme. Real education is about relationships,” notes Professor Grzegorz Mazurek.

Watch the full podcast episode to find out more!