Google and IBM Professional Certificates on Coursera now aligned with India’s National Skills Qualification Framework

Nasscom collaboration paves the way for universities to integrate job-relevant credentials into the core curriculum 

Coursera, Inc. (NYSE: COUR), a leading online learning platform, in collaboration with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (nasscom/SSC nasscom), today announced that ten Professional Certificates from Google and IBM have achieved National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) alignment exclusively on Coursera. This initiative enables a system for universities and employers to provide credit recognition to industry content, creating more pathways for learners to pursue skills-based career opportunities in the country. 

Under the National Education Policy, the National Credit Framework (NCrF) allows students to earn credits for all forms of learning, making it easier to switch between academic studies and skill-based learning. Aligning Google and IBM Professional Certificates with NSQF further promotes a shift from traditional education to competency-based learning. Now, higher education institutions, and students can transfer credits for eligible Professional Certificates on Coursera, fostering job-ready, digitally skilled graduates. Coursera’s Learner Outcome Report 2023 highlights the impact of these programs, with 21% of Indian learners securing new jobs and 32% seeing salary increases after completing entry-level Professional Certificates.

“This collaboration with Coursera to align Google and IBM Professional Certificates with the NSQF framework is a wonderful demonstration of the flexibility and relevance that is coming into play through the national credit framework under the NEP.  When giants like Google, IBM and Coursera come on board, it’s a powerful signal how good policy leads to powerful outcomes.  Learners will have access to industry relevant courses in cutting edge technologies and make their credits count towards their degrees.  As SSC nasscom, we are committed to building a strong ecosystem and empowering all the industry and training partners that take the time to understand how powerful this construct and weave it into their skilling strategies – benefiting the learner, the potential employer and of course, making business sense.” said Kirti Seth, CEO, IT-ITeS Sector Skill Council nasscom.

“The NSQF alignment of these Professional Certificates from Google and IBM supports India’s education reform, facilitating credit transfer across academic and skill-based learning, while increasing student mobility and employability,” said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, India and APAC, Coursera. “We’re excited to partner with nasscom in this transformative initiative, aligned with India’s vision to become the skills capital of the world.”

The NSQF-aligned certificates from Google and IBM available on Coursera include:

“Technology is an incredible force that has democratized information, and therefore opportunity, to anyone with curiosity and drive. Google’s skilling programs on Coursera are an extension of that ethos, where anyone who wishes to engage with tech not just as a user but as a practitioner – be it UX, digital marketing or any other domain – can do so without being constrained by prior education or experience. More power to Coursera in making these opportunities widely available,” Shekar Khosla, VP – Marketing, Google India.

“Achieving NSQF alignment for IBM’s Professional Certificates on Coursera marks a crucial step in bridging the technology sector’s skills gap and underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality education that meets the evolving demands of the industry. We’re excited about the positive impact these certificates will have on learners’ job readiness and their careers,” said Rav Ahuja, CCO & Global Program Director, IBM Skills Network.

Acharya Institutes in Bangalore, Karnataka is integrating the Google Data Analytics and IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificates into their IT courses to better prepare students for high-demand careers, offering them industry-relevant, hands-on experience.

Coursera recently introduced new genAI-powered features aimed at scaling assessment creation and grading, reinforcing academic integrity, and improving learning and evaluation processes. These advancements significantly enhance the credibility and recognition of online learning, facilitating their acceptance by universities and employers for academic credit and professional qualifications.

*The NSQF organizes all qualifications according to a series of levels of knowledge, skills and aptitude. The levels, graded from one to ten, are defined in terms of learning outcomes which the learner must possess regardless of whether they are obtained through formal, non-formal or informal learning. These Professional Certificates are recognised with NSQF levels 4.5 and 5. The actual credits shall be determined by the university based on notional learning hours.