Posts by UPCEA
From the Ground Up: Attracting Working Adults as a New Student Market
Like many colleges and universities today, Spelman College was faced with the challenge of generating more revenue and also expanding beyond their core student population of women of color. Ultimately, the college made the decision to target working adults and professional learners who have been in the workforce for 10–15 years, a promising and relatively…
Read MoreShort-Term Credentials Are Booming in Texas. Are Employers Hiring? (Work Shift)
In Texas, money is flowing for short-term credentials. The state’s new funding formula, signed by the governor in June, is allocating dollars to community colleges in part based on how many credentials of value they award. It would appear that there is no better time to invest in alternative credentials. Interest rates on student loans…
Read MoreReport: Microcredentials Not a Strategic Priority for Many Colleges (Inside Higher Ed)
While the majority of colleges focused on online, professional and continuing education have embraced alternative credentials, a significant number of those institutions haven’t made them a strategic priority. That’s one of the key takeaways from a new study released Monday by UPCEA, the online and professional education association. “While a lot of institutions want this, they…
Read MoreBoiling the Ocean of Microcredentials
As we start the New Year, I’ve been reflecting on the milestones and trends in 2023 and what stood out for me was the Convergence conference, based on both the high levels of interest (the inaugural event sold-out!), and the incredible buzz among attendees. There were so many conversations happening and great presentations by institutions…
Read MoreAlignment for the Long Term: How CE Can Drive Institution-Wide Credential Innovation
Higher education institutions across the United States and Canada are in their “credential innovation era”—exploring new ways to serve new demographics of learners and awarding new kinds of credentials to recognize their learning. Except… this isn’t really new, is it? Not in the Continuing, Professional and Workforce Education sector anyways. Offering certificates, microcredentials and badges…
Read MoreNew Research: UPCEA Reveals Key Findings on Alternative Credentials
UPCEA shares business and program model insights in grant-funded study WASHINGTON (January 8, 2024) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is proud to share findings and takeaways from a new research study, Alternative Credentials: Business and Program Models. The research, supported by a grant from Walmart, is part of UPCEA’s “Building Capacity, Expanding…
Read MoreMomentum for Microcredentials on the Learning Landscape
As the dynamic technology landscape recalibrates business models and calls for employees’ skills sets to be frequently refreshed, traditional paths for students to launch their careers are, in many cases, no longer sufficient. University degree programs have difficulty keeping pace with the latest skills enterprises require, especially in IT fields and related disciplines in which…
Read More4 Types of Adult Learners and How to Reach Them
by Tracy Chapman, PhD, Chief Academic Officer at Collegis Education Much of the adult learner population is focused on career advancement, on earning the next credential to support their career goals. However, ask anyone in higher education to picture an adult learner, and they are likely to describe an academic-focused learner pursuing a master’s or…
Read MoreUPCEA Welcomes New Board and Committee Members
WASHINGTON, December 7, 2023 – 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 2024 UPCEA Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts on March…
Read MoreOur Elusive Common Denominator
About fifteen years ago, I hosted a pre-conference dean’s workshop at UPCEA’s Annual Conference. I opened the session by asking participants to compare their units with those of the person next to them. Not surprisingly, they highlighted their dissimilarities. Were this a meeting of, say, law school deans, they might have commiserated over mutual challenges…
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