Micro-credentials in Comparative and International Education: Global Trends, Critical Success Factors, and Future Implications

The rise of micro-credentials is a global response to shifting labour market demands, the growth of lifelong learning, and digital acceleration. Designed to be flexible, targeted, and competency-based recognitions of learning, micro-credentials challenge traditional higher education (HE) structures while offering opportunities for innovation, access, and global collaboration. This chapter explores the strategic implications of micro-credentials in HE, paying particular attention to leadership perspectives and institutional positioning. Through a thematic literature review of studies published between 2023 and 2025, it examines how micro-credentials are framed within educational ecosystems across diverse regions, where regulatory frameworks, funding mechanisms, and cultural norms influence their adoption and recognition. Central themes include the role of leadership in balancing technological progress with academic integrity, navigating challenges of quality assurance and equity, and managing tensions between institutional legitimacy, global rankings, and graduate employability. The findings contribute to the evolving discourse on micro-credentials by presenting a leadership decision-making framework that recognises the roles of leadership, policies, structures, stakeholders, and the internationalisation agenda at the macro-to-micro level. By highlighting leadership strategies and governance frameworks, this chapter provides insights into aligning micro-credentials with broader institutional and international agendas, with a particular focus on bridging the gap between the Global North and Global South.