Noncredit education and non-degree credentials are growing rapidly, but data systems have not kept pace with this expansion. The project aims to strengthen data infrastructure by advancing research, developing a shared taxonomy for data collection, and creating learning opportunities to share effective practices across the field.
The State Noncredit Data Project (SNDP), led by the Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center (EERC) in partnership with universities in North Carolina, Michigan, and California, is working to address a significant gap in how noncredit education data is collected and used across the country. A central output of the project is the Noncredit Data Taxonomy. The taxonomy organizes noncredit data into four primary sections: Purpose & Design (what a program is and how it’s delivered), Outcomes (academic, labor market, and credential outcomes), Enrollment & Demographics (who is participating), and Finance & Policy (how programs are funded and governed).
Credential Engine, in collaboration with EERC, have mapped the Noncredit Data Taxonomy to the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL).
View the full Noncredit Data Taxonomy Benchmark Model here.
How to Publish Noncredit Credentials and Programs
Before creating an account, check the Credential Finder to determine if an account exists for your organization. If so, contact Credential Engine to be added as an account user.
To create an account for your organization, follow these steps.
Once you submit your account, Credential Engine will review and approve it. Please allow 24 hours for processing. You will receive a confirmation email when the account is approved.
Review Organization Data
After Credential Engine has approved your account, follow these instructions to review information about your organization in the Credential Publisher app. You can add additional information about your organization.
Approve Organization Data
Once you have reviewed your data, you will need to approve your organization in the Credential Publisher.
- Select “Summary and Downloads” from the navigation bar at the top of the page. From there, select “Approve My Organization” in the My Organization tab.
This will notify Credential Engine to publish your organization’s data to the Credential Registry. Please allow 24 hours for processing. You will receive a confirmation email when the organization is published.
Data is published to the Credential Registry using spreadsheets in CSV format. Use this template to get started.
Use the Credential Publisher to upload and approve your spreadsheet by following these instructions.
Approve Credentials
Once you have uploaded your data, you will need to approve your credentials in the Credential Publisher.
- Select “Summary and Downloads” from the navigation bar at the top of the page. From there, select the credentials you would like to approve in the Credentials tab.
This will notify Credential Engine to publish your organization’s data to the Credential Registry. Please allow 24 hours for processing. You will receive a confirmation email when the credentials are published.
