I have always appreciated how honest wood is. Look at a cut stump and the rings tell a story: good years, lean years, drought, recovery. That feels like the right way to read the newly released 2026 State of Continuing Education report from UPCEA, Modern Campus, and The EvoLLLution. As this partnership reaches its five-year…
In the world of online and professional continuing education, we often talk about “meeting students where they are.” When it comes to the military community, that isn’t just a metaphor, it’s often a physical location. For marketing teams at UPCEA member institutions, military installations are a unique ecosystem. To succeed here, you cannot simply port…
Online: Trending Now #132 One of the challenges we face in teaching online is bringing “reality” into our classes. The potential of virtual reality and augmented reality in online courses is enormous. Especially in online learning, these technologies promise to enable us to bring the laboratory, geography, cultures, and communities to reality for those who are…
Online: Trending Now #131 The General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union is going into effect on May 25. If you are not aware of GDPR, now is the time to get up to speed on this European Union policy that may reshape data privacy and security around the world. The EU has greatly expanded…
DOJ Extends Accessibility Deadline to April 2027 | Policy Matters (April 2026)
Major Updates DOJ Extends ADA Title II Web Accessibility Deadline to April 2027 On April 20, 2026, the Department of Justice issued an Interim Final Rule extending the ADA Title II digital accessibility compliance deadlines by one year for all state and local government entities, including public colleges and universities. Public institutions serving populations of…
UPCEA Announces 2026-2027 Leadership Team for Council for Chief Online Learning Officers
UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces the 2026-2027 leadership team for the Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO). The association extends its gratitude to the 12 member volunteers serving in leadership roles for this body. The Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO) and its members focus on leveraging the strategic potential…
Continuing Education Gains Momentum as Institutions Expand Workforce-Aligned Learning
New research from Modern Campus and The EvoLLLution, in partnership with UPCEA and CAUCE, highlights how institutions are evolving to meet growing demand for flexible, career-connected education TORONTO, April 15, 2026 — Modern Campus and The EvoLLLution, in partnership with UPCEA and CAUCE, today announced the release of the 2026 State of Continuing Education Report, revealing that continuing education is entering a…
From Programs to Ecosystems: Reflections from Misericordia’s Workforce Symposium
Recently, I had the privilege of keynoting UPCEA member Misericordia University’s 2026 Workforce Symposium—an event that brought together institutional leaders, employers, and regional partners to wrestle with one of the most urgent questions facing higher education today: What does it mean to truly align with the workforce—not just in programs, but in purpose? First, deep…
The tagline for Convergence, Credential Innovation in Higher Education, raises two important questions: First, what kind of credentials are we talking about? Is the scope of credentials unlimited, blue sky, or confined to incremental changes on the margins of the status quo? And second, who is leading that innovation, and what do they need to…
We are pleased to share the foreword by UPCEA CEO Bob Hansen from the newly released Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education. The guidebook, now available from Routledge in paperback, hardback, and eBook formats, provides a comprehensive framework for today’s online learning leaders. Learn more and purchase…
Some conferences feel long. This one flew by. And still, I kept thinking I wish I could have attended even more sessions. Over the past few days at the UPCEA Annual Conference, a few very clear themes kept coming back. Not just in presentations, but in conversations with people across institutions. Yes, AI is still very much…
Online enrollment leaders don’t need another mandate to “use AI.” They need relief. Most teams are already stretched thin by demands to manage inquiry volume, follow-up expectations, data hygiene, and prospect responsiveness. They lack the capacity to take on yet another complex initiative, especially one that feels abstract or disruptive. AI mandates promise transformation when…