If you’ve ever set out on a hike without a map and compass, you know the feeling: creeping uncertainty about whether you’re still on the trail, how far you’ve come, and how far you have to go. In 2017, when I was walking from Mexico to Canada, the snow level in the Sierra Mountains was…
Read MoreColleges and universities committed to high-quality teaching and research are navigating a growing set of challenges in attracting and supporting international students. The presence of international students on our U.S. campuses enriches the academic environment, fosters global perspectives, and enhances the cultural competency of the campus communities. These learners often pursue STEM disciplines, contributing significantly…
Read MoreGoogle has dominated search for 20 years. But results today are far too often tainted with information that is incomplete, misleading or false. MIT aims to address that problem with the knowledge graph Underlay. I recall the very early days of Google’s search engine — just after it changed its name from BackRub (really!). It was renamed…
Read MoreAffordable degrees at scale have arrived. The momentum behind this movement is undeniable, and its impact will be significant. How many times have we been told that major change in our field is on the near horizon? Too many times, indeed. The promises of technologies and practices have fallen short more often than not. Just…
Read MoreUnlocking Opportunity: How Tax Policies Like Section 127 Can Drive Employer Partnerships
By Chelsea Miller, UpSkill America, and Amy Heitzman, UPCEA Partnership is a key driver to unlocking opportunity in America, which is why UPCEA and UpSkill America are so excited to come together to help academic institutions understand one particular priority for employers: leveraging tax policies to drive engagement (really!). UpSkill America focuses on how employers…
Foreword by Bob Hansen Featured in The COLO Guidebook
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…
International Student Visa Review Resumes, Social Media Vetting Instituted | Policy Matters (June 2025)
Major Updates Trump Administration Resumes Embassy Review on Student Visas, Implements Social Media Vetting Requirements The Trump Administration has lifted its pause on F‑, M‑, and J‑visa processing but simultaneously unleashed sweeping new social-media vetting requirements: all international student applicants must now make their Facebook, X, Instagram and other accounts public for consular review, with…
UPCEA Announces Updates to Board of Directors
June 25, 2025 – WASHINGTON — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces recent updates to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Susan Seal, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies at Mississippi State University, has been appointed to serve as a Director At-Large, filling the remainder of the 2025–2026 term…
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…
Read MoreOver the last three years, UPCEA engaged in an innovative partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison to enable the latter’s Distance Teaching and Learning (DT&L) conference to continue under UPCEA’s leadership. The partnership’s goals included making this valuable event for the distance learning community more sustainable and accessible to online practitioners focused on teaching and…
Read MoreConsider the humble pocketknife. For most owners, it cuts a fishing line or opens a bottle. But in the right hands, it becomes a tool of precision and creativity. Now, consider Artificial Intelligence. Vastly more complex, AI is also a tool—one that, depending on the user, can serve as a shortcut or a source of…
Read MoreThe pace and pressure of academic leadership have intensified. Many leaders are navigating increased responsibilities, constrained resources, political tension, and widespread fatigue. In this environment, clarity, presence, and sustained energy are essential and precious. To lead effectively, leaders must protect their most limited resource: their focus and energy. Coaching provides a structured space to do…
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