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DOI: 10.15507/1991-9468.030.202602.238-257

UDC 378:004.8

 

The Role of Micro-Credentials in the Future Digitalized Artificial Intelligence-Driven Education

Wadim Strielkowski
Ph.D. (Econ.), Professor, Senior Research, Cambridge Institute for Advanced Studies (23 King St, Cambridge CB11AH, United Kingdom), Senior Research, Prague Business School (29 Werichova St., 15200 Prague, Czech Republic), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6113-3841, Scopus ID: 36620065300, Researcher ID: J-6112-2017, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Akima S. Orozalieva
Dr.Sci. (Econ.), Professor, Jusup Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University (547 Frunze St, Bishkek 720033, Kyrgyz Republic), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5387-5722, SPIN-code: 3990-0148, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Larisa N. Gorina
Dr.Sci. (Ped.). Professor, Director of the Institute of Engineering and Environmental Safety, Togliatti State University (14 Belorusskaya St, Togliatti 445667, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4276-1516, Scopus ID: 56940467200, SPIN-code: 7315-5567, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Elena N. Korneeva
Cand.Sci. (Econ.), Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Institute of Engineering and Environmental Safety, Togliatti State University (14 Belorusskaya St, Togliatti 445667, Russian Federation), Associate Professor of the Chair of Mass Communications and Media Business, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation (49 Leningradskii Prospekt, Moscow 125993, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2735-6299, Scopus ID: 57190658874, Researcher ID: AAF-8011-2020, SPIN-code: 2344-9298, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract
Introduction. Microcredentials are digital badges that validate students’ acquired knowledge and skills – have become increasingly popular in higher education amid the rapid digital transformation following the COVID-19 pandemic. Rapidly growing academic interest in this topic is driven by an increase in the number of scientific publications, from one in 1992 to 162 in 2025. The aim of this study is to assess the potential role of microcredentials in modern higher education, based on artificial intelligence and digitalization.
Materials and Methods. A comprehensive bibliometric network analysis of 664 publications published in the Scopus database was conducted. The analysis was conducted using VOSviewer software to visualize text and bibliographic data and identify clusters of related topics in the scientific literature on microcredentials.
Results. A significant increase in research on microcredentials was identified, and key thematic clusters were identified. The most significant clusters focus on employability (skills and workforce needs), digital transformation (technology-enabled learning), and lifelong learning (continuing education and professional development), among other aspects. The interdisciplinary nature and broad influence of microcredentials in contemporary academic literature, with a particular focus on higher education, are highlighted.
Conclusion. Microcredentials can address skills shortages and align higher education with labor market demands while supporting personalized learning. Their potential for enhancing learner employability and flexibility in an AI-enabled higher education system is highlighted. Microcredentials are a significant innovation in higher education. By offering flexible and targeted learning pathways, they can significantly contribute to the transformation of the AI-enabled higher education system. The findings of this study can be useful for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in integrating microcredentials to create adaptive and future-proof digital higher education systems. The additional thematic clusters identified demonstrate that micro-credentials link digital technologies, employment, lifelong learning, and quality assurance within a unified pedagogical framework.

Keywords: micro-credentials, digital transformation of higher education, artificial intelligence, digitalization of education, bibliographic analysis, thematic clusters, lifelong learning

Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

For citation: Strielkowski W., Orozalieva A.S., Gorina L.N., Korneeva E.N. The Role of Micro-Credentials in the Future Digitalized Artificial Intelligence-Driven Education. Integration of Education. 2026;30(2):238–257. https://doi.org/10.15507/1991-9468.26302.238-257

Authors’ contribution:
W. Strielkowski – formulation of research goals and aims; management activities to produce metadata for initial use and later re-use; application of formal techniques to analyse study data; conducting a research and investigation process; development of methodology; management and coordination responsibility for the research activity planning and execution; provision of study materials; software development; oversight and leadership responsibility for the research activity planning and execution; verification as a part of the activity or separate, of the reproducibility of results experiments and other research outputs; specifically visualization; specifically writing the initial draft; specifically critical review.
A. S. Orozalieva – management activities to produce metadata for initial use and later re-use; conducting a research and investigation process; development of methodology; provision of study materials; verification as a part of the activity or separate, of the reproducibility of results experiments and other research outputs; specifically visualization; specifically writing the initial draft; specifically critical review.
L. N. Gorina – management activities to produce metadata for initial use and later re-use; conducting a research and investigation process; management and coordination responsibility for the research activity planning and execution; verification as a part of the activity or separate, of the reproducibility of results experiments and other research outputs; specifically visualization; specifically writing the initial draft; specifically critical review.
E. N. Korneeva – formulation of research goals and aims; management activities to produce metadata for initial use and later re-use; application of formal techniques to analyse study data; provision of study materials; verification as a part of the activity or separate, of the reproducibility of results experiments and other research outputs; specifically visualization; specifically writing the initial draft; specifically critical review.

All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Submitted 03.12.2025;
revised 02.02.2026;
accepted 09.02.2026.

 

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