IT workers will soon be able to put their professional experience towards a master’s degree qualification in an offering Deakin University claims is a world-first. From 2016, Deakin and its credentialing business, DeakinDigital, will offer IT specialists a Master of Professional Practice (IT) degree once they complete a set of 16 credentials and a single unit of study at the university. Workers do not need an undergraduate degree to qualify. DeakinDigital CEO, Allyn Radford, claimed this could halve the time and cost of a master’s degree in IT. “Our model is based on a simple proposition: You shouldn’t have to sit in a classroom to learn what you already know,” said Radford. “In a profession like IT that is constantly changing, life experience and skills learned on and off the job as often just as relevant. Together, the university and DeakinDigital are setting a world-first precedent by creating a formal pathway between credentials and a post-graduation qualification.” Deakin University vice chancellor, Professor Jane den Hollander, added that technology is imposing disruptive change around the world, causing all sectors to reshape the way they do business. “The career of a lifetime will no longer last a lifetime. Workers will, in all likelihood, need to upskill multiple times to throughout their career. “Deakin University strives to apply the innovation of new technology to everything so that out students are educated and skilled for the jobs of the future – and that’s what this credentialing and this new master degree will do,” den Hollander said. Follow CIO Australia on Twitter and Like us on Facebook… Twitter: @CIO_Australia, Facebook: CIO Australia, or take part in the CIO conversation on LinkedIn: CIO Australia Follow Byron Connolly on Twitter:@ByronConnolly Related content brandpost Sponsored by DataStax Ask yourself: How can genAI put your content to work? Generative AI applications can readily be built against the documents, emails, meeting transcripts, and other content that knowledge workers produce as a matter of course. By Bryan Kirschner Dec 04, 2023 5 mins Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence feature The CIO’s new role: Orchestrator-in-chief CIOs have unique insight into everything that happens in a company. Some are using that insight to take on a more strategic role. By Minda Zetlin Dec 04, 2023 12 mins CIO C-Suite Business IT Alignment opinion Fortifying the bridge between tech and business in the C-suite To be considered a tech-forward company today, there has to be a focus on tech fluency across the C-suite, which creates a unique opportunity for CIOs to uplevel their roles and expand their footprint across the enterprise. By Diana Bersohn and Rachel Barton Dec 04, 2023 7 mins CIO Business IT Alignment IT Strategy brandpost Sponsored by G42 Understanding the impact of AI on society, environment and economy By Jane Chan Dec 03, 2023 4 mins Artificial Intelligence Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe