Posts by UPCEA
UPCEA’s 2025 Online Education Benchmarking Report Provides Vital Data for University Leaders
Second annual study provides new KPI benchmarks around enrollments, finance, and budget, explores the impact of AI, and provides strategic recommendations for online leaders to thrive in these uncertain times. WASHINGTON, D.C., ISSUED AUGUST 12, 2025…UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of a new research report, “Benchmarking Online Enterprises: Insights…
Read MoreBuilding the Cyber Workforce the Future Can’t Live Without
Turn learners into the cyber pros every employer is chasing with stackable, multi-credential pathways The Cyber Talent Gap Is a Moving Target Picture this: the bad guys keep upgrading their playbook, but the good guys are still running last season’s plays. That’s the cyber talent gap in a nutshell. It’s not just about more people…
Read MoreHow to Build Strong Employer Partnerships to Support Student Success
Now, possibly more than ever, it is critically important for colleges and universities to engage with employers for the benefit of our students. Higher education is facing an unprecedented time. The demographic cliff is upon us, the current political environment has led to policy whiplash and has upended funding sources for research. Our campuses have…
Read MoreArtificial Intelligence is Non-Negotiable for Higher Education Marketing and Enrollment Management
Why Institutional Leaders Can No Longer Afford to Wait on AI adoption The clock is ticking for higher education institutions that haven’t fully embraced AI. What was once an experimental advantage in marketing and enrollment has quickly become an urgent necessity. AI has firmly established itself as an operational imperative across diverse industries, with the…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Evolving Needs of Online Learners
Every year, the Voice of the Online Learner report offers a window into the motivations, preferences, and challenges of today’s online students. Now in its 14th year, the 2025 edition provides timely insights for UPCEA members seeking to design courses and programs that meet the needs of adult learners, employers, and communities. At Risepoint, we’re…
Read MoreSynchronizing Pathways: Advancing the National Dialogue on Credentials and Learning Mobility
Incubator grant supports critical work to align data practices and learning mobility frameworks to benefit today’s learners WASHINGTON July 31, 2025 – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, has launched a national initiative to advance credential transparency and learner mobility through improved data quality and institutional capacity-building. The project titled, “Synchronizing Pathways: Expanding Institutional…
Read MoreRebuilding Student Trust: 6 Coaching Strategies to Support Belonging for Online and Adult Learners
Rebuilding Student Trust: 6 coaching strategies to support belonging for online and adult learners How institutions can help online and adult learners feel seen and supported throughout their college journey In today’s higher education landscape, more adult learners are enrolling in online programs, often while managing work, family and other life commitments. However, these motivated…
Read MoreAccelerating Institutional Capacity for Employer Engagement in Credential Innovation
As the future of work rapidly evolves, higher education institutions must accelerate their capacity to engage with employers—building bridges between learning and labor market relevance. At UPCEA, with support from Walmart, the world’s largest employer, we’ve undertaken two major initiatives to strengthen these bridges. The first project provided foundational benchmarking data, a practical playbook, and…
Read MoreTransdisciplinary Credentials: The Smartest Way to Future-Proof a Degree
Why academic institutions are embedding IT credential content into programs far beyond computer science. The new reality: every field is a tech field Whether you’re studying law or logistics, public health or public policy, tech skills are no longer optional. From automation to data security to compliance, today’s workforce expects professionals to be as comfortable…
Read MoreUPCEA Recognizes 2025 Award Recipients at the Summit for Online Leadership and Administration Conference (SOLAR)
Association Award Recipients Highlighted at Event WASHINGTON (July 17, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is pleased to recognize the recipients of this year’s online and distance education awards. Award recipients will be showcased at the Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR) Conference, July 22-24 in Portland, Oregon. The annual SOLAR…
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