Posts by UPCEA
The Rise of the Agentic AI University in 2026
Agentic AI is no longer merely an interactive tool we talk to; it is a colleague that acts for us. In a very active and highly competitive environment, AI has grown at breakneck speed. As with so many technologies, business and industry have moved far faster than academe to embrace the cost savings, capability expanding…
Read MorePack Light, Go Far: Hiking the Enrollment Trail
There’s a moment from my college days I remember more clearly than any midterm I ever took. I had stepped away from my bachelor’s degree at Penn State because I wanted to live a little. I’d grown up in the same town that I went to college and I just needed an extended reprieve, something…
Read MorePreparing the Workforce for an AI-Driven Economy: An Online and Professional Continuing Education Imperative
Is your online and professional continuing education unit looking for ways to improve job-market outcomes for graduates and alumni? Are you exploring strategies that better align your program portfolio with the skills business and industry leaders say they need both for new hires and for upskilling current employees? Recent employer data provides a clear signal that high-demand employees are ones with verified AI skills and practical experience. A 2025…
Read MoreThe Resilient Local Network: How to Ditch the ‘Best Practice’ Blueprint for Adult Learner Success
The Replication Dilemma Today, higher education leaders face intense pressure: prove the value of credentials, raise attainment rates for adult learners, and do it all on shrinking budgets. We have access to high-leverage frameworks—like integrated student support or the guided pathways model—which identify proven principles for success often derived from successful regional or national initiatives.…
Read MoreHow Colleges Can Shape Opportunity In The Workforce Pell Era (Forbes)
“When higher education leaders look back at 2025, they may see it as the year everything changed—not quietly, but with the force of policy, economy, and societal expectation converging. In July 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act authorized an expansion of Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, workforce-aligned programs—generally 8 to 15 weeks in length…
Read MoreUPCEA Welcomes New Board and Committee Members for 2026 Terms
WASHINGTON, December 12, 2025 – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is pleased to announce the election of new officers and new directors to serve on the UPCEA Board of Directors. Elected in November, these individuals will assume their roles at the conclusion of the 2026 UPCEA Annual Conference in New Orleans, La. on…
Read MoreDesigning for Lifetime Learners (Inside Higher Ed)
“This past week, presenting at the UPCEA MEMS conference in Boston, we explored a question that is becoming central to the future of higher education: What does it actually take to engage learners in lifelong learning with an institution? In a moment of rising enrollment volatility, shifting global dynamics and accelerating technological change, this question…
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know Before Entering or Renewing an OPM Partnership
Online programs are no longer a nice-to-have. They are essential, with many schools looking to online as their primary growth lever amid market headwinds. A strong portfolio of online programs can allow institutions to grow enrollment, reach new student populations, and future-proof their offerings. But building, launching, and sustaining a successful online program operation requires…
Read MoreUPCEA Releases 2026 Predictions for Higher Education
Report highlights the accelerating transformation of higher education, from AI-driven infrastructure to lifelong learning pathways. WASHINGTON (Dec. 8, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its “Predictions 2026: Insights for Online & Professional Education.” This year’s report brings together expert perspectives from across the association to examine the…
Read MoreUPCEA Announces Release of New Secret Shopper Benchmarking Study at UPCEA MEMS 2025
Findings unveiled during the conference’s closing keynote reveal major gaps and opportunities in enrollment responsiveness. WASHINGTON and BOSTON (Dec. 4, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its newest research report, Enrollment Process Review: Secret Shopper Analysis, during the closing session at the 2025 UPCEA Marketing, Enrollment Management,…
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