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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 3h

By integrating rigorous standards, a unified taxonomy, & an established framework, microcredentials can be designed & implemented as credible, transparent, & valuable indicators of learners' skills & competencies across various sectors. Check out this new EDUCAUSE Review article!

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Building Trust and Rigor in Microcredentials: Synthesizing Standards, Taxonomy, and Frameworks
by Sherri Braxton Castanzo
TrustEd Microcredential Framework
EDUCAUSE Review

Knowledge microcredential:
This type of microcredential is issued when learners demonstrate foundational knowledge through a validated assessment. This ensures that the microcredential accurately represents the learner's knowledge & remains consistent across learning domains.

Application microcredential:
This is awarded when learners demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge in practical, real-world scenarios, such as projects or labs. By validating skills through performance assessments, these microcredentials provide trusted evidence that learners can apply their knowledge effectively.

Recognition badge:
A recognition badge is issued for participation or attendance without requiring assessment. The recognition badge aligns with the principle of transparency by explicitly acknowledging engagement without validating a specific competency.

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 11h

In this episode of EDUCAUSE Shop talk, we unpack the 2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report’s findings, noting that higher education continues to wrestle with low levels of data literacy and weak data governance foundations. er.educause.edu/podcasts/edu...

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 1d

"Hotline: Cybersecurity & Privacy" tackles the philosophical, moral, strategic, & organizational quandaries related to higher ed cybersecurity, privacy, & data. This month, we answer your questions about building cyber skills in the age of AI, shaping habits, & selecting a framework

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Hotline Cybersecurity and Privacy
September 2025
by Michael Corn
EDUCAUSE

As AI becomes more prevalent & cybercriminals become increasingly sophisticated, how can AI be leveraged for both offensive and defensive purposes at higher ed institutions?

It's the training and preparation of cyber professionals that future-proofs an organization. Preparing for the world we now face requires more than noodling with prompts; it requires dedicated study. I suggest forming topical study or reading groups.

What is your favorite activity that you believe changed user behavior for the better?

Consider this: Why do we expect users to change? They didn't create this problem; it was created by the various applications. For an organization, mandating single sign-on (SSO) and supporting integrations with mobile technologies such as Face ID, combined with aggressive use of a password manager or passkeys, is probably the best you can do.

What is the most widely adopted cybersecurity framework within higher education: NIST CSF, ISO 27001, or CMMI Cybermaturity?

There seems to be a trend to embrace NIST standards in general, and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) specifically. As more federal agencies try to harmonize their regulatory approach to cybersecurity, more universities and colleges are turning to NIST. To be honest, NIST is the gold standard.

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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 1d

Braindates are now open! The 2025 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference is fast approaching. There's still time to join us in Nashville AND sign up for Braindates - where you can spark meaningful conversations either 1:1 or in small groups.

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Connect with the best thinkers in higher education technology
EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025
October 27 - 30, Nashville, TN
November 12 - 13, Online

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 2d

Higher ed is navigating financial pressures, shifting enrollment, evolving regulatory landscapes, & calls for ethical use of data

Our 2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report | Data and Analytics surfaces both external forces shaping the field & innovations likely to define its future

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2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report Data and Analytics Edition

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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 5d

Strategic foresight is only useful if we move from insight to action. That’s why our 2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan | Building Skills and Literacy for Teaching with GenAI should be on your TBR.

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EDUCAUSE 2025 Horizon Report Action Plan: Building Skills and Literacy for Teaching with GenAI
by Jenay Robert

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 5d

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is about more than setting up firewalls, penetration testing behind the scenes, and checking the required compliance boxes. Here are some resources from EDUCAUSE to help you reinvigorate your cybersecurity efforts!

er.educause.edu/articles/202...

EDUCAUSE Cybersecurity Awareness Month - Small actions can make a big difference - educause.edu

Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit - The HECVAT is a tool designed to help college and university professionals more easily measure vendor risk. Created by leaders in higher education in collaboration with EDUCAUSE, Internet2, and REN-ISAC, the HECVAT is a comprehensive questionnaire that companies can complete to provide a detailed picture of their cybersecurity, privacy, IT accessibility, and compliance standards in one place–helping higher education leaders make better technology decisions, faster

2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Supporting Agency, Trust, Transparency, and Involvement - Our expert panel was charged with envisioning the preferred future of supporting agency, trust, transparency, and involvement in higher education and creating an action plan toward that future.

Cybersecurity Community Group - The purpose of the group is to provide a forum to identify problems and share strategies or solutions as colleges and universities continue to improve information security governance, compliance, data protection, and privacy programs.

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 6d

Check out the EDUCAUSE Career Center - it's a one-stop hub for job seekers and employers across higher ed IT. Search roles like CIO, instructional technologist, and more, explore career resources, post listings, or find your next great hire.

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EDUCAUSE Career Center
Higher education jobs and candidates
jobs.educause.edu

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 6d

Ready to learn, connect, & explore with the higher ed tech community? Don’t miss the 2025 EDUCAUSE Conference October 27-30. Choose from program tracks covering AI, leadership, student success, & more, alongside interactive workshops & networking opportunities. Register now!

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EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025
October 27 - 30, Nashville, TN
November 12 - 13, Online
Learn
Connect
Explore

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 7d

Engage with higher ed peers at the 2025 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference. With meetups, interactive sessions, networking events, and more, this is the place to build new and strengthen exisiting relationships. Register now!

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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 7d

In the 2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan | Building Skills and Literacy for Teaching with GenAI, panelists were asked to consider the future impacts of social, tech, economic, environmental, & political trends on higher ed & what it will take to make that future a reality.

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EDUCAUSE
2025 Horizon Report Action Plan: Building Skills and Literacy for Teaching with GenAI
by Jenay Robert
Goals for Our Future

Goals for our Future
We assembled a global panel of experts to envision their preferred future of GenAI in higher education and create an action plan to get to that future. Asked to describe their preferred state of higher education 10 years from now, panelists collaboratively described the following:

Goals for our Future
- Communities have renewed trust and belief in higher education.
- Cross-institutional collaboration supports shared goals and values.
- The institutional digital divide is closing.
- The higher education workforce embraces digital transformation.
- GenAI tools are meaningfully integrated into learning experiences.
- Students, faculty, and staff critically evaluate GenAI tools.

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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 7d

It's October. You know what that means... Cybersecurity Awareness Month! This is your opportunity to reinvigorate your cybersecurity efforts so that you and your institution can stay safe all year long. We have some great sources at EDUCAUSE to do just that.

er.educause.edu/articles/202...

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 8d

The latest episode of EDUCAUSE Shop Talk is a must-listen for anyone attending (or thinking of attending) the 2025 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference in Nashville. Practical tips include wearing comfortable shoes, carrying a charger, and building in downtime. er.educause.edu/podcasts/edu...

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 9d

If LLMs are nearing their limits, both curricular decisions and existential anxieties take on new significance, particularly when many AI implementation efforts have been failing.

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"People decide how technologies are used and what they mean."
An AI Plateau
by Brian Basgen

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 9d

Today (9/29) is your LAST CHANCE to get the Advance Registration Discount for the 2025 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference. We can't wait to see you there!

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Advanced Registration Discount Ends September 29
EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025
October 27 - 30, Nashville, TN
November 12 - 13, Online

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 12d

The EDUCAUSE Institutional Resilience Toolkit offers resources & insights to help institutions optimize structures, streamline workflows, and make the most of the resources they have.

We are here to support you in strengthening operations and building a more resilient workforce.

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EDUCAUSE Institutional Resilience Toolkit
Operational

Operational and Workforce Efficiency
Resource-constrained institutions should rethink institutional processes, structures, and workforce efficiencies that impact how resources are used.

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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 12d

What’s next for AI and student success in higher ed? Find out at the 2025 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference October 27-30. General session presenters, Dr. Joy Buolamwini and Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, will explore AI, leadership, and the future of higher ed. Register today!

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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 13d

AI will not replace colleges & universities, but it will expose the aspects of higher ed that no longer serve our students or society.

In our latest Educause Review article, we explore tech & public confidence in higher education, plus where we go from here.

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"Higher education has spent two years reacting to AI. The time for reaction is over. The time for leadership is now."
Beyond Tool or Threat: GenAI and the Challenge It Poses to Higher Education
by Adam Maksl, Anne Leftwich, Justin Hodgson, and Kevin Jones
EDUCAUSE Review

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 14d

Technical & specialized expertise are critical to institutional success, especially with limited resources.

The EDUCAUSE Institutional Resilience Toolkit provides resources & insights to help strengthen workforce skills across IT, research, administration, & student services

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EDUCAUSE Institutional Resilience Toolkit
Technical

Technical, Institutional, and Specialized Expertise
Technical, institutional, and specialized expertise are essential to institutional success in a resource-constrained environment.

Institutional leaders will need to build workforce skills across multiple domains, including IT, research, administration, and student services.

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 14d

There's less than a week to get the Advanced Registration Discount for the 2025 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference. Make sure to register by September 29!

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EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 15d

Dr. Joy Buolamwini – AI Expert, Artist, Founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, & author of Unmasking AI.

Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III – STEM Education Leader, President Emeritus of UMBC, Co-Founder of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, & author of The Resilient University.

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EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025
October 27 - 30, Nashville, TN
November 12 - 13, Online
Tuesday, October 28
Dr. Joy Buolamwini
Artificial Intelligence Expert, Artist, Founder of Algorithmic Justice League, & Author of National Bestseller Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines
Thursday, October 30
Dr. Freeman A Hrabowski
STEM Education Leader, President Emeritus of UMBC, Co-Founder of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program & Author of The Resilient University

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 16d

The 2025 EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award recognizes Michael McGarry for his vision in bringing together unique perspectives to promote innovation in technology, with a commitment to creating programs and solutions.

Thanks to 2025 EDUCAUSE Mission Partner, Moran Technology Consulting.

EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award - Michael McGarry Academic Technology Lead and LMS Administrator, California State University Channel Islands

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 19d

The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference offers something for every kind of learner & leader. Explore track-focused breakout sessions, build meaningful connections with your community, & meet the tech & solution providers shaping the future of higher ed. Register by Sept 29 for a discount!

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"This is truly one of the most valuable events for higher ed IT professionals! I've found it incredibly beneficial to learn from peers who understand the challenges we face in our ever-evolving field. The exchange of insights and processes has been both inspiring and practical."
- Jennifer Mendez
EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025
October 27 - 30, Nashville, TN
November 12 - 13, Online

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 20d

Access to reliable data is essential, especially with limited resources.

The EDUCAUSE Institutional Resilience Toolkit offers data-focused resources & community insights to help you prioritize what matters most: building right-sized, up-to-date systems that turn info into action.

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EDUCAUSE Institutional Resilience Toolkit
Data Access

Data Access and Information
Resource-constrained institutions should consider prioritizing crucial resources related to data access and insights through robust, right-sized, and up-to-date data systems.

EDUCAUSE @educause.bsky.social · 20d

In the age of AI, higher ed must move beyond content delivery toward interactionalism—a human-centered approach that fosters collaboration, creativity, adaptability, feedback, & well-being. This EDUCAUSE Review series will explore that in-depth, beginning with teaching & learning.

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"The future of teaching
and learning is not about keeping up with machines, but about using them to become more deeply and distinctively human."
The AI Tsunami Is Here:
Reinventing Education for the Age of AI
by Tanya Gamby, David Kil, Rachel Koblic, Paul LeBlanc, George Siemens and Mihnea Moldoveneau
EDUCAUSE Review

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