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Adelphi, Md. (June 19, 2025)—University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has been selected to join the national Learning and Employment Record (LER) Accelerator, a prestigious new initiative championing digital credentialing that better match workforce needs. In more closely aligning education with the job market, the program helps institutions create systems that make learning more visible, verifiable, and relevant to employers. 

UMGC is one of just 25 institutions nationwide chosen to advance the adoption of seamless credentialing systems that empower learners and improve their career mobility. 

“Learning today goes beyond the classroom, and students deserve credentials that reflect the full breadth of their skills and experiences,” said Insiya Bream, UMGC Registrar and Associate Vice President. “Our students bring valuable experiences from military service, professional careers, and lifelong learning. We are committed to helping them turn those experiences into recognized credentials that lead to new opportunities. 

“Our participation in the LER Accelerator strengthens that commitment by helping us build the systems and strategies needed to support every learner’s journey,” she added.

As part of the LER Accelerator, UMGC will develop a comprehensive institutional plan that unifies its current LER-related initiatives under a forward-looking strategy. The university will focus on building governance structures to guide the development and approval of digital credentials. In doing so, it will bridge non-credit and for-credit learning experiences and deepen its emphasis on skills and competencies that prepare learners for the needs of a fast-changing employment landscape. 

This initiative dovetails with the vision of the 2024–2030 UMGC Strategic Plan, which is centered on strengthening the connection between education and employment. 

UMGC’s work will address three priority areas: 

• Governance: Establishing institutional processes to support the growth and management of digital credentials and verified records.  

• Integration: Creating bridges between credit and non-credit learning experiences to ensure flexible and stackable pathways for students. 

• Skills Alignment: Enhancing the way students’ competencies are defined, documented, and shared in relation to workforce and employer needs. 

LER Accelerator is designed as a catalyst for transforming how learning is captured and communicated. By providing digital credentials that seamlessly validate and share skills, institutions will open greater opportunities for all learners. 

“LERs hold the potential to reimagine how we recognize and connect learning and work, but only if they are built with learner empowerment, trust, and usability at the core,” said Mike Simmons, Associate Executive Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). “This cohort reflects the breadth and ambition of a national movement to empower every learner and worker with tools to navigate their pathways and tell their own stories.” 

About the LER Accelerator 

The LER Accelerator is a coalition-led initiative dedicated to advancing the development and adoption of Learning and Employment Records in postsecondary education. It provides funding, technical assistance, and collaborative opportunities to participating institutions as they design and plan scalable LER strategies. Coalition partners include: 

1EdTech, AACRAO, AACC, AAC&U, ACE, AIR, C-BEN, Digital Credentials Consortium, EDUCAUSE, NACADA, NACE, NASPA, and UPCEA. 

About University of Maryland Global Campus 

University of Maryland Global Campus was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults and military servicemembers. Today UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education in Maryland and continues its global tradition with online and hybrid courses, more than 175 classroom and service locations worldwide, and more than 135 degrees and certificates backed by the reputation of a state university and the University System of Maryland. For more information, visit umgc.edu.