LER Accelerator champions interoperable credentialing systems to advance workforce development and learner empowerment.

Washington, DC – February 26, 2025 – In a landmark collaboration, 12 leading national associations have adopted a unified set of core principles for advancing Learning and Employment Records (LERs). This collective agreement marks a pivotal step toward aligning learning and skills development with workforce needs, ensuring access for all to verifiable credentials, and supporting lifelong learning pathways.

The nine principles draw on previous research and reflect a shared commitment to guiding higher education institutions and systems to design LERs that are accessible by all learners and ensure learners can take their skills data with them for use in further education and employment. The principles emphasize the importance of interoperability, learner empowerment, data privacy, and the integration of the array of educational and professional learning opportunities to meet the demands of an evolving workforce.

This initiative aligns with national movements by public and private sector employers and education to shift to skills-first approaches to respond to the growing economy and quickly connect people with good jobs. By prioritizing LERs, the coalition seeks to build upon this momentum and further strengthen the nation’s workforce.

“The LER movement continues to grow, and the LER Accelerator’s alignment around shared principles marks an important milestone toward empowering learners and workers with data about their skills,” said Jason A. Tyszko, senior vice president of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “This collaboration is a step forward in creating transparency around learning and increasing the utility of learning outcomes, competencies and skills such that learners and workers can better access opportunity and achieve economic mobility.”

The LER Accelerator

The LER Accelerator initiative launched in 2024 with support from Walmart. The effort is boosting the adoption of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) in postsecondary education by focusing on overcoming implementation delays, raising awareness, and fostering collaboration. The initiative is supported by a coalition of organizations representing various campus stakeholders:

• Admissions Operations/Enrollment Management/Records & Registration – AACRAO
• Information Technology – EDUCAUSE
• Academic/Curricular/Faculty – AAC&U
• Online and Professional Education – UPCEA
• Career Centers and Employers – NACE
• Institutional Research – AIR
• Institutional Leadership – ACE
• Competency-Based Education and Skills – C-BEN
• Technology Standards and Practices – 1EdTech, Digital Credentials Consortium
• Community Colleges – AACC
• Academic Advising – NACADA

Join the LER Accelerator coalition for a webinar on February 26, 2025, to discuss the principles and their implications for the future of education and employment.

About UPCEA

UPCEA is the online and professional education association. Our members continuously reinvent higher education, positively impacting millions of lives. We proudly lead and support them through cutting edge research, professional development, networking and mentorship, conferences and seminars, and stakeholder advocacy. Our collaborative, entrepreneurial community brings together decision makers and influencers in education, industry, research, and policy interested in improving educational access and outcomes.

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Molly Nelson, Vice President for Communications, [email protected]