Nontraditional instruction is increasingly available through the Internet and other technology-based delivery systems. The telecommunication network now in place can distribute high quality educational materials to students. This briefing paper argues that the "virtual university" created by the technological delivery of instruction, while providing access, lacks formal recognition by employers and institutions of higher education provided by credentialing and certification systems. Certification and quality assurance should focus on assessment of learning and learners, based on specific, standardized, and widely accepted competencies rather than on courses or other instruction units delivered by providers. Assessments must be acceptable to employers and other institutions and be conducted with integrity. Credentialing and certification may be implemented incrementally and regionally and through a variety of types of organizations. (PRW)