- Learning acquired beyond the university will now be recognized on academic transcripts and converted into academic credit.

- A bold and innovative step for the future of higher education: the new micro-credit system will be launched next year.

- The Council of Higher Education has published the Principles and Procedures for the Micro-Credentials Framework in Higher Education Institutions, enabling knowledge, skills, and certificates acquired outside the university to be formally recognized within the academic system for the first time.

- Students will be able to earn up to 10 percent of the credits required for graduation through recognized micro-credentials.

- Certificates, digital badges, and industry training programs will now receive academic recognition.

- President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar: "Micro-credentials will have a transformative impact on both higher education and working life."

June 23, 2026

The Council of Higher Education (CoHE) has introduced a landmark reform that will transform learning across Türkiye's higher education system. “The Principles and Procedures for the Micro-Credentials Framework in Higher Education Institutions” have been published, enabling, for the first time, knowledge, skills, and certificates acquired outside universities to be formally recognized within the higher education system.

Under the new framework, competencies gained beyond the campus will be recognized based on established criteria, converted into European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits in line with European standards, and recorded on students' academic transcripts and Diploma Supplements.

- "A Bold and Innovative Step for the Future of Higher Education"

President of the Council of Higher Education Erol Özvar emphasized that micro-credentials will contribute to developing the qualified workforce required by the labor market while becoming an essential component of lifelong learning. "Our higher education system is evolving toward a competency-based model. Through micro-credentials, our students and graduates will be able to acquire the skills they need more rapidly and respond more effectively to the demands of a changing world," Özvar said.

Micro-credentials and micro-credit practices are regarded as innovative policies designed to transform the traditional approach to learning in higher education. By recognizing learning acquired outside universities within the academic system, this model transcends the conventional boundaries of time and place in education and represents a bold and forward-looking step toward the future of higher education.

- A New Competency Model for the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Micro-credentials are defined as qualifications earned through short-term, flexible, and goal-oriented learning experiences in a specific field, verified through assessment and evaluation processes and delivered under quality assurance standards.

The system is designed to address emerging skill demands in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, digital technologies, and other rapidly evolving industries. Alongside their degree programs, students will also be able to acquire up-to-date competencies sought by employers.

Upon successful completion of micro-credential programs, learners will receive internationally recognized digital certificates. Their learning outcomes will be documented through digital badges and securely stored in digital wallets.

- Programs Tailored to Emerging Needs

With the publication of the new framework, universities will be able to begin offering micro-credential programs starting from the next academic period. As a result, competencies acquired through industry experience, professional practice, and diverse learning environments will be eligible for academic recognition and may be converted into ECTS credits.

Micro-credential programs will be designed in response to societal, individual, and industry needs and will be continuously updated to keep pace with social, economic, and technological developments.

The programs may be offered as modular learning units or short-term educational programs, enabling learners to acquire the knowledge and skills they need in a shorter period while personalizing their learning pathways according to their career goals.

- Özvar to Students: "Don't Limit Your Education to the Campus"

Calling on students to take advantage of learning opportunities beyond the formal curriculum, Özvar said: "We consider this one of the most significant steps in transforming higher education from a diploma-oriented system into a competency-based one. Under the new framework, competencies acquired not only in classrooms but also through technology academies, industry training programs, research centers, practical training initiatives, and digital learning platforms will become an integral part of our higher education system. A higher education experience confined within four walls is an incomplete one. Education must extend beyond the campus. I encourage our students to participate in courses, practical training, events, and new learning opportunities related to their fields. Learning no longer takes place only in the classroom. In the world of the future, those who continue learning and developing throughout their lives will stand out."

Özvar also noted that, through pilot initiatives carried out with the BTK Academy and Defence Industries Academy, training completed in selected technical fields has already begun to receive academic recognition within university programs, marking the first implementation of the modular competency model based on micro-crediting.

- Up to 10 Percent of Graduation Credits Through Micro-Credentials

Under the new regulation, students will be able to earn up to 10 percent of the total ECTS credits required for graduation through recognized micro-credentials. University senates will determine which external learning activities and training programs qualify for academic recognition.

- A Vision of Lifelong Learning and Future-Ready Graduates

The Council of Higher Education envisions the implementation of micro-credentials in alignment with the European Education Area and the Turkish Qualifications Framework, thereby enhancing the international recognition of qualifications earned in Türkiye.

With this reform, higher education will evolve from a process that ends with graduation into a dynamic lifelong learning ecosystem that supports individuals throughout their lives. Micro-credentials are expected to become one of the cornerstones of Türkiye's vision for lifelong learning and the development of future-ready skills.