Learning Machine and Credly Team Up for Competency-Based College Admissions

CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwired - May 03, 2016) -  Learning Machine today announced the integration of Credly digital credentials across their enrollment management and portfolio platforms, currently in use by hundreds of colleges and universities, including The Common Application member schools. Digital credentials are secure, portable, and data-rich representations of demonstrated skills and earned certifications. Credly is a leading digital credential service provider, used by thousands of educational institutions, training providers, employers, and associations.

Chris Jagers, founder and CEO of Learning Machine, explained, "As project-based learning and computational thinking become increasingly important, the limits of standardized tests are becoming clear. While useful to gauge broad measures, they can't capture the essence of an education. The emerging standards around badges and digital credentials have begun to bring trusted evidence of skill and achievement to enrollment management and other competitive environments like hiring, residencies, and grant management."

"Digital credentials, when paired with examples of real work, jumpstart high bandwidth conversations with the right applicants," said Dan Hughes, Learning Machine's President and COO. "The world's most creative schools are already asking applicants to demonstrate what they can do. Digital credentials are quickly becoming a standard part of the college admissions process and will increasingly be the common currency of a global job market."

"As verified evidence of competencies and skills, digital credentials are an efficient way for individuals to communicate their true capabilities," said Jonathan Finkelstein, founder and CEO of Credly. "The Learning Machine integration brings the value and trust behind digital credentials to scale in the admissions process. It's also the first direct connection of badges to the Common App, and one that empowers students to present the full mosaic of who they are as validated in diverse contexts."

Additional Resources:

Learning Machine CEO Chris Jagers on technical creativity and digital credentials.

About Learning Machine: Learning Machine is a global provider of enterprise software for higher education. The largest universities in the world use Learning Machine's platforms to power their entire student lifecycle: from first inquiry to shaping incoming classes for admissions, tracking and analyzing alumni to managing faculty hiring. www.learningmachine.com

About SlideRoom: SlideRoom, a product of Learning Machine, is a comprehensive system to accept applications, portfolios, references, and payments in one secure location. Organizations around the world use SlideRoom to manage the decision-making process for admissions, grant management, human resources, contests, and more. SlideRoom accepts millions of applications and portfolio media every year and is the exclusive portfolio partner of The Common Application. www.slideroom.com

About Credly: Credly is a leading digital credential service provider, helping the world recognize lifelong achievement with the most popular platforms for verifying, sharing and managing digital credentials and badges. The enterprise-class system allows organizations to officially verify skills and competencies; distribute portable and secure digital credentials and open badges; and gain actionable data and insights. Thousands of education institutions, industry associations, employers and workforce development programs use Credly to make achievements visible. www.credly.com