Online AI microcredentials from Purdue first of their kind to earn ABET quality assurance recognition

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A collection of 10 online AI microcredentials from Purdue University has earned recognition from ABET, a premier international quality assurance organization well known for its accreditation of STEM-oriented degree programs in computing, engineering, technology, and applied and natural sciences.

Purdue’s diverse mini courses, providing just-in-time knowledge of artificial intelligence applicable in almost any profession or industry, are the first university nondegree AI credentials recognized by ABET under its new certificate recognition standards, a pilot project in which the organization is expanding beyond accreditation of traditional degree programs.

Formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, ISO 9001:2015-certified quality assurance organization with more than 2,200 volunteer experts from academia, government and industry supporting its work annually. Based in the U.S., it operates in 42 countries and has accredited more than 4,600 degree programs worldwide.

AI skills are some of the most in-demand job skills in today’s tech-driven market. Purdue’s AI microcredentials consist of quick and convenient online courses that cover the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and its applications. Each microcredential course is designed for working professionals and is asynchronous and self-paced.

“Artificial intelligence is having an impact in nearly every business and industry and on people everywhere,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, Purdue senior vice president for partnerships and online. “Our online AI microcredentials are an accessible, engaging and effective way to learn about AI and its impacts from a variety of perspectives. We’re pleased that they’re being recognized by ABET.”

Jessica Silwick, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of ABET, said the organization’s credentials recognition program is a quality assurance service that provides learners, employers and institutions with the confidence that the credentialed learning offering meets thorough, globally respected standards.

“Our purpose is to uphold trust in the value of STEM education, and this service directly supports that purpose by validating the integrity and quality of credential offerings across disciplines,” Silwick said.

To earn ABET recognition, Purdue’s AI microcredentials went through an extensive application and review process detailing such things as the educational goals and expected learning outcomes for the courses and the processes to ensure those are met and that learners who complete the requirements are formally recognized. Among other things, the review considered how the content of the courses is created and by whom, how it is delivered to learners, and how it is continuously improved to stay relevant.

“As part of ABET’s pilot program, the collaborative process allowed us to share detailed information about our microcredentials, explain the structure of our asynchronous courses and provide supplemental materials to support ABET’s content analysis — contributing valuable insights to help inform and shape their future certification process for credentials like these,” said Karly Schube, assistant director of academic engagement and strategic initiatives, who led the ABET recognition project for Purdue.

Carrie Berger, executive director of academics and strategic initiatives, said one of the biggest value adds from the recognition process is the continuous improvement system Purdue has developed for its AI microcredentials.

“We can replicate this process for all of our noncredit courses,” Berger said. “I feel like we have a great framework and model we can use moving forward.”

Each course in the AI microcredentials program functions as its own mini credential, and students earn a certificate for every course they complete. Individuals can pick and choose what courses to take and stack credentials in areas that interest them. The flexibility of the program makes it an ideal professional upskilling opportunity.

Each course takes approximately 15 hours to complete. The courses are 100% online and can be completed at the learner’s pace when and where it works for them. There are no prerequisites to enroll.

Individuals taking the Purdue AI microcredentials courses learn essential AI skills, including:

• Understanding the current applications of AI and where the field is heading
• How to apply AI technologies to solve real-world problems and contribute to organizational innovation
• How to amass a robust AI skill set and build marketable expertise in emergent technologies

The courses are arrayed in three categories: foundational technical courses, applied technical courses and nontechnical foundational courses. The certificate courses with ABET recognition include:

• Machine Learning for Linear Predictive Models
• Data Analytics for Decision-Makers
• Manufacturing Analytics
• Natural Language Processing Solutions: An Introduction to Evaluation and Implementation
• Demystifying AI, Understanding Risks and Shaping the Future
• Global Regulations of AI
• Data and AI Storytelling
• Prompt Engineering
• AI Policy and Governance
• Machine Learning in Action: Tools, Techniques and Industrial Cases

To learn more about Purdue’s online AI microcredentials and to register, visit the program website. Purdue is a leader in AI research and education and also offers a fully online Master of Science in AI for both technical people who build and operate AIs and nontechnical people who use them and whose lives are affected by them.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.