Benchmark This!

A Blog on Latest Trends Impacting Marketing and Higher Education
from UPCEA's Chief Research Officer, Jim Fong and Senior Director of Research & Consulting, Bruce Etter

What’s in a Name? Why Higher Education Needs to Standardize Nomenclature to Enable Programmatic Adoption

October 18, 2023

My wife and I were lucky enough to recently welcome our first child into the world. In the months and days leading up to his birth, we regularly discussed potential names for our new family addition. We kept a shared list of ideas that we frequently revisited. A name would be added based on family…

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Pruning Programs to Help a Portfolio Bloom

July 10, 2023

On a recent soggy summer day, I sauntered into my yard with a pair of loppers in one hand and my trusty instructor, my phone, in the other. For the first time, I was going to prune our rose bushes. Like many millennials, I consulted the internet prior to embarking on this task to better…

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Turning the Tables: Three Game-Changing Business Strategies for Thriving in Today’s Higher Education Landscape

June 16, 2023

Institutions of higher education are encountering significant threats: The demographic cliff looms, the value perception of a four-year degree is declining along with traditional student enrollments; and the competitive credential-granting landscape is expanding to include business-based learning from entities such as Google and skill and experience-validating credentials from organizations such as The Project Management Institute.…

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Supply and Demand and the Demographic Cliff

May 17, 2023

Last month, Inside HigherEd and Hanover Research released their survey of over 400 college and university presidents, and the results were confusing. The study showed that eight out of 10 presidents agree (and three of the eight strongly agree) that their institutions will be financially stable in the next decade.[1] However, the report acknowledges that…

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Greeting the Student of the Future on their Terms at the Digital Storefront

March 16, 2023

We are emerging from the pandemic and the higher education landscape is daunting. The battle for funding and student loan debt relief is tied up in the court system.  New statements have been released from the Department of Education regarding bundled services and third-party providers. Politics are at play regarding college systems in Florida and…

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Trusted by the nation's top colleges and universities, UPCEA Research and Consulting provides the best value in the industry today. UPCEA's industry experts have years of experience in Online and Professional Continuing education - put them to work for you!

UPCEA Research and Consulting offers a variety of custom research and consulting options through an outcomes-focused pricing model. Find the option(s) that best suit your institution.

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The UPCEA Difference

Unmatched Experience: For more than 100 years, UPCEA consultants have exclusively served the needs of online and professional continuing education programs. UPCEA consultants leverage their extensive industry expertise to expedite solutions, anticipate upcoming shifts, and offer distinct best practices, effectively aiding clients in achieving their goals.

Cost Effectiveness: As a nonprofit, member-serving organization, we provide unmatched value, allowing you to maximize limited research and consulting budgets.

Action in Motion: Our cadre of experienced, skilled authorities and expert practitioners propels you forward, translating research and consulting into impactful implementation, a distinctive hallmark of UPCEA. Our team of current and former institutional leaders will support you, turning research and consulting into action.

Mission Alignment: Like you, our mission is to enhance and expand educational opportunities and outcomes for adult and other non-traditional learners. We share your values and work in partnership with you to advance access and excellence in education.

Jim Fong, UPCEA

Jim Fong, UPCEA's Chief Research Officer, has extensive background in marketing at Penn State, as well as experience in private industry. Jim brings a rich understanding of the dynamics driving today’s higher education leaders, providing research-driven strategy and positioning. Jim often presents at UPCEA conferences, sharing vital information with attendees.

A man (Bruce Etter) is dressed in a blue suit smiling for a headshot.

Bruce Etter, Senior Director of Research & Consulting, is responsible for developing and managing research initiatives for UPCEA Research and Consulting and its clients. He graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Sociology and a minor in Sustainability Leadership.

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