As leaders in online and professional continuing education, we often find ourselves at the intersection of hope and pragmatism. We see the transformative power of a postsecondary credential for an adult balancing career and family. Yet, we also hear a recurring, disheartening refrain from prospective students: “I simply can’t afford it.” There’s a persistent myth…
Will artificial intelligence close the student success gap or widen it into a permanent caste system? That is the question higher education leaders should be asking as AI advising tools move from pilot to procurement. The temptation is to treat AI as a cost-savings lever: deploy a chatbot, deflect the tickets, claim a productivity win.…
The greatest strength of online learning is the anytime and anywhere characteristic, but the online aspect is also our greatest vulnerability. We tend to think often about the worldwide reach and impact of online learning. Through online, we have the power to change lives and societies. However, we are seriously vulnerable, more so, one might…
Do it yourself is more than just a trend for crafts and home improvements — it is an ethos that has reached higher education. DIY has become pervasive in our culture. In part it is fueled by the internet, most particularly by YouTube. In part it is energized by time and money savings. It is further…
UPCEA Releases Guidebook on Employer Engagement and Credential Innovation
New resource provides practical frameworks and tools to help institutions strengthen workforce-aligned credential strategies WASHINGTON (June 2, 2026) — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today released a new guidebook designed to help colleges and universities strengthen employer partnerships and build institutional capacity for workforce-aligned credential innovation. Developed through a multi-year grant-funded initiative, Expanding…
Workforce Pell Final Regulations Released: What Changed from the Proposed Rule | Policy Matters (May 2026)
Major Updates Workforce Pell Final Regulations Released: What Changed from the Proposed Rule The Department of Education has released the final rule on Workforce Pell Grants and the new Pell Grant exclusion for students whose non-Federal grant and scholarship aid meets or exceeds their cost of attendance. The Department reviewed approximately 440 comments but, in…
Workforce Pell and New Federal Accountability Measures Put Data Readiness in the Spotlight, New UPCEA Report Finds
New guidance from UPCEA highlights the growing urgency of data quality, learner mobility, and outcomes reporting for four-year institutions WASHINGTON, D.C., May 14, 2026 — As Workforce Pell and new federal accountability measures reshape expectations for postsecondary outcomes reporting, colleges and universities must rethink how they track, verify, and communicate learner success, according to a…
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…
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…
Your next prospective student has already formed an impression of your program. They just haven’t visited your website yet. Half of prospective students now use AI tools at least weekly. 79% read Google’s AI Overviews. Before a student fills out an RFI form, an AI tool has likely already answered their questions about your program,…
The conversation in higher education around AI has shifted. A few years ago, faculty and administrators were asking whether AI belonged on campus at all. Today, most leaders have moved past that question. Students are using AI tools, regardless of whether institutions sanction them. Employers are already factoring AI fluency into how they evaluate graduates….