When learning competencies are recognised prior to the awarding of degrees

In traditional higher education, degrees are often regarded as the final destination of the learning journey. Learners complete a programme, fulfil formal requirements, and receive a degree as a consolidated form of recognition. However, in the context of globalised education and international labour mobility, this approach is increasingly revealing clear limitations. A degree, when detached from the assessment of actual competencies, is no longer sufficient to reflect the true learning value of an individual across diverse contexts of use.

From this reality, a new approach is gradually taking shape: learning competencies are recognised first, while degrees are viewed as the final outcome of the recognition process.

Degrees do not always fully reflect competencies

Degrees are useful standardisation instruments, but they are more holistic than analytical in nature. In many cases, a degree merely indicates that a learner has completed a programme at a certain level, without clearly specifying which competencies have actually been achieved, to what extent, and in which contexts.

When learners need to use their learning outcomes in order to:

• progress to further study within a different system,
• work in an international environment,
• or apply for equivalency recognition in another country,

a standalone degree often fails to provide sufficient information for stakeholders to make accurate academic or professional decisions.

Competency recognition: a shift in academic logic

Placing the recognition of learning competencies ahead of degrees is not merely a technical adjustment, but a fundamental shift in academic logic. Instead of asking “What degree does the learner hold?”, the system asks “What competencies does the learner possess, and where is the evidence?”.

This approach focuses on:

• learning outcome standards,
• the level of achievement of each competency,
• and the verifiability of assessment results.

Within this framework, degrees are not dismissed, but positioned appropriately: as the result of a validated competency recognition process, rather than the starting point for all academic considerations.

Why competency recognition should precede degrees

There are three key reasons why competency recognition should take place before degree awarding is considered.

1. First, it enhances academic transparency. When competencies are assessed and recognised independently, stakeholders can clearly understand what a learner has actually achieved, rather than inferring value from the title of a degree.
2. Second, it reduces system dependency risks. Learners are not absolutely bound to a single degree-awarding system, but can use recognised learning outcomes to access a range of opportunities.
3. Third, it aligns with cross-border recognition. Different education systems may not mutually recognise degree formats, but they can benchmark competencies and learning outcomes when sufficient evidence is available.

The SwissEdu⁺ approach to learning competency recognition

Within the digital higher education model, SwissEdu⁺ is designed to place the recognition of learning competencies at the centre, before any decisions related to degree awarding are made.

Learners participate in academic programmes and are assessed based on learning outcomes and actual competencies. These results are validated and structured in order to:

• be benchmarked against recognised competency frameworks,
• support recognition reviews by partner universities,
• and serve as academic evidence for degree awarding within the respective authority of each institution.

Under this approach, SwissEdu⁺ does not act as a degree-awarding body, but as a system that generates and validates learning value, enabling partner universities to make evidence-based recognition decisions.

Degrees as outcomes, not prerequisites

Once learning competencies have been fully recognised, degrees become the natural outcome of the academic process, rather than a prerequisite for initiating evaluation. This helps to:

• clarify the real value of learning,
• reduce formalistic assessment practices,
• and enable flexible yet controlled recognition decisions.

This approach is particularly well suited to adult learners, international learners, and those who need to apply their learning outcomes across multiple contexts.

Conclusion

Recognising learning competencies prior to degrees reflects a significant shift in modern higher education. It allows systems to focus on substantive academic value, rather than relying solely on formal certification.

Within the digital higher education model, SwissEdu⁺ approaches recognition as a structured academic process in which competencies are assessed, validated, and benchmarked before degree awarding is considered. This approach opens pathways for more flexible, transparent, and context-appropriate recognition in today’s cross-border education landscape.