We sat down with Dr. Pranesh Aswath, Provost and Executive Vice President at Texas State University, and Adam Long, a computer science student and student government leader, to talk about how universities are evolving to better prepare students for today’s workforce.

From launching career-aligned micro-credentials to embracing student-driven innovation, Texas State is rethinking how higher education can meet the moment. Pranesh and Adam share how they’ve worked together to create new pathways to opportunity—and why listening to students is essential to building programs that work.

Whether you’re an educator, learner, or policymaker, this episode offers a roadmap for change.

We also cover:

🎯 How Texas State aligned micro-credentials with in-demand job skills

🗣️ Why student advocacy was key to launching the initiative

💼 What students are looking for in career readiness

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 How faculty and students collaborated to make it happen

🌎 What global learners can take away from the Texas State model

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Explore career-focused credentials from top universities and companies at Coursera.org, and learn how you can build skills that translate directly to the job market at every stage of your learning journey.

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