Credit transfer and the mobility of credentials in UK higher education: the evolution of policies, meanings and purposes

For 30 years public policy towards higher education in the UK has commended the development of credit transfer and the mobility of credentials. Moreover, policy developments internationally encourage the view that improved credit transfer is essential for an affordable higher education system committed to democratic participation and sustainable human development in a changing global economy. Yet, as this paper shows, despite persistent encouragement by government, employers and others, progress in the UK remains slow. Part of the problem may lie in the different perceptions of credit transfer held by various parties. Thus attention is paid to these differences, and a more strategic engagement with credit transfer is recommended in the belief that public policy seeks to develop student choice and mobility to promote a wider vision of learner enablement. The paper draws on research undertaken for the report: Choosing to Change: Extending Access, Choice and Mobility in Higher Education, elaborating on some of the arguments contained therein and reflecting on responses to it.¹