UPCEA Updates

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, works to support its members by offering professional development, networking, and mentorship opportunities. As a collaborative and entrepreneurial community, we are proud of the fact that our members are thought leaders in the higher education administration field who continuously strive to improve educational access and outcomes for all students.

Why UPCEA?

The field of higher education continues to  experience seismic shifts, including evolving online degree programs and alternative credentials, administrators and future industry leaders are faced with a daunting challenge for their institutions.  They must prioritize online and professional continuing education, monitor industry trends, and receive relevant training for their faculty and staff that focuses on critical 21st-century competencies. UPCEA empowers senior leaders with the tools they need to advocate for the field.

UPCEA is recognized as the most comprehensive community of leaders and practitioners in online and professional continuing education. UPCEA members are the leading experts in the most dynamic sector of higher education today.

UPCEA members are part of a robust network,  sharing expertise, knowledge, and experience through:

• Conferences, events, seminars, webinars and digital salons focused on timely topics vital to the success of online and professional continuing education.
• Shared resources: members gain access to hundreds of shared documents, research studies, tools,  best practices, presentations, and recorded sessions.
• Educating policymakers and key stakeholders on vital issues related to online and professional continuing education.

UPCEA membership provides you with direct access to our wealth of knowledge, valuable resources, and engaging events. With several membership types available, anyone involved in the higher education field can benefit from being a part of the online and professional education association.

Benefits of UPCEA Membership

By becoming a member of UPCEA, you will enjoy a variety of benefits that can enhance your career and provide you with personal rewards.

These are just a few of the benefits that you will enjoy as a UPCEA member:

Professional Development

UPCEA members enjoy premier access to online education and professional development opportunities focused on the needs of higher education administrations.

Through our professional development opportunities, you will receive:

• Access to cutting-edge research and resources on a wide range of topics relevant to online and professional continuing education.
• Access to  job postings and career resources.
• Exclusive opportunities to attend webinars, conferences, and workshops to learn from experts in the industry and network with peers.
• Access to a robust community of leaders and peers dedicated to advancing online and professional continuing education through networking, collaboration, knowledge sharing in a unique 24/7 online community platform.
• Offering mentorship programs that allow our members to receive personalized guidance from experienced colleagues in the field of higher education administration.
• Special membership pricing for participating in professional development programs, including certification programs designed to provide you with career advancement opportunities, and all UPCEA conferences and events..
• Access to UPCEA’s comprehensive online library, which is filled with valuable resources specific to online and professional continuing education.

While UPCEA offers a variety of professional development opportunities, perhaps the association’s most popular certification program is the UPCEA Professional Certificate. This certificate program requires applicants to complete five courses on higher education administration topics, such as The Language and Culture of Higher Learning or Academic Strategic Planning in a Constantly-Changing Environment. By earning this certification, members can uniquely prepare themselves for leadership opportunities in the field of higher education administration.

All our diverse and affordable continuing education opportunities are designed to be relevant to your chosen career path. By investing your time and resources in professional development, you will get the most value out of your UPCEA Membership.

Networking and Collaboration

As a collaborative community, we provide our members with ample opportunity to network and connect. Not only do we plan in-person conferences and association events throughout the year, but we have also created an innovative online platform designed just for our members.

Collaborative Online Relationships, or CORe, is an interactive, online community platform that connects more than 15,000 UPCEA members from around the globe. Through CORe, UPCEA members can enjoy real-time access to thousands of colleagues in the field, participate in informative and valuable discussions about industry trends, and utilize the library, which includes archived video presentations, webinars, research, and documents.

Through CORe, our members have built valuable partnerships and collaborations with their peers and colleagues as well as other institutions and organizations. By sharing their best practices and opening their minds to the perspectives of others, our members can gain valuable insight into the field.

Leadership Development

Leadership development remains at the core of UPCEA offerings, allowing members to hone their skills while perfecting their leadership styles. We can help develop the next generation of higher education administration leaders by:

• Helping our members gain valuable skills and knowledge. Through our online and professional education webinars and conferences, you will discover how to become a more effective and impactful leader in your organization.
• Offering the UPCEA Leader Certificate in Online and Professional Education. The courses in this program have been crafted by senior leaders in the field for those aiming to be at the strategic leadership level in their institutions.
• Providing networking opportunities that allow our members to meet with other higher education leaders. By actively building and developing your leadership network, you can seek mentorship opportunities and learn more about what it’s like to work at the highest levels of education.

Cost Savings

UPCEA members enjoy exclusive cost savings on our courses, programs, and events. Our special member pricing ensures you can take advantage of as many professional development and networking opportunities as possible, allowing you to get the most value out of your membership.

Through UPCEA membership, you will be able to reduce the overall costs associated with professional development and research. Rather than trying to develop an à la carte professional development strategy, you can enjoy comprehensive access to all the resources, professional development opportunities, certification programs, and industry events you need to elevate your career.

By utilizing UPCEA’s vast network of resources and industry experts, you can ultimately improve efficiency and operations within your institution, passing your cost savings onto your institution and proving that you are an indispensable asset to their leadership team.

Hear From Current Members

“By being involved with UPCEA I have been able to lead more effectively in my career as well as learn from others. I have a network where I can bounce ideas off of and learn from others’ successes and failures to contribute to the university as a whole.” — Kristin Hrynczuk, Senior Instructional Technology Specialist at Western Michigan University

“UPCEA research and benchmarking has been key for increasing capacity in continuing ed. The level of research from UPCEA enhances opportunities to market and develop new programs in a systematic manner. Our membership enabled us to advance our programming to enhance our region as an Anchor Institution. The university has also benefited from the recognition that UPCEA marketing awards bring. Our successful campaigns promoting new programs directly increased our enrollments.” — Dr. Pamela Wimbush, College of Continuing Education Dean (interim) at Sacramento State University

Joining UPCEA: Membership Process

At UPCEA, we offer two distinct membership tiers:

• Institutional Membership — This membership level applies to degree-granting institutions that are accredited by a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This membership level offers UPCEA member access for any individuals who work at the institution.
• Corporate Membership — This membership level is available to individuals or entities who support the higher education field, such as technology solution providers or university marketing associations.

If you are interested in pursuing UPCEA membership, you need to take the following steps:

• Complete the online membership application so that it can be reviewed by our team.
• Connect with an UPCEA staff member, who will contact you after you have completed your application. You can address any questions or concerns you may have at this time, and review your membership dues and payment options.
• Review your invoice and send in your dues payments. The dues that are required may vary based on your institution’s Carnegie Classification and overall total enrollment.

The process of becoming a UPCEA member is simple and streamlined, ensuring you (and all members of your team) can begin enjoying your UPCEA membership benefits as soon as possible.

Become a UPCEA Member Today

As an UPCEA member, you become a valuable stakeholder in our dynamic community. We would love to welcome you as part of the online and professional education association.

Fill out your UPCEA Membership application today.