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 MoreArtificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a Pen Pal, or, perhaps, one should say, no longer just a “Keyboard Pal” experience. Remember those years ago in late 2022 when ChatGPT arrived on the international scene, you communicated with AI through a simple chatbot interface. It was remarkable that you could type in relatively short…
Read MoreWe are most accustomed to writing prompts and challenging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to give us answers, insights, sources, videoclips, and creativity. Emerging now is the walking, talking AI that engages us on our level. We have front-row seats to the maturing of AI in higher education. There has been audio for a while, but now…
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Beyond Degrees: How Credential Innovation is Closing the Gap for 42 Million Learners
A Movement, Not Just a Community Convergence is emerging as the place where the credential innovation community for higher ed comes together. But more than a community, it’s a movement. Not a movement to make degrees less valuable, let alone obsolete. Rather, it’s a movement to complement degrees by meeting the needs of those for…
UPCEA Announces Selection of Peer Learning Leaders to Drive Innovation in Skills-Based Credentialing
Six individuals selected for grant-funded work helping advance University-to-Business credential innovation strategies WASHINGTON (October 23, 2024) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is thrilled to announce the selection of six individuals to be Peer Learning Leaders for the association’s grant-funded “Expanding Institutional Capacity for Employer Engagement in Credential Innovation” project. The project will…
Half of Higher Ed Institutions Now Use AI for Outcomes Tracking, But Most Lag in Implementing Comprehensive Learner Records
Survey conducted by Instructure and UPCEA explores the intersection of AI and credentialing in Higher Education SALT LAKE CITY — October 22, 2024 — Instructure, the leading learning ecosystem and UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announced the results of a survey on whether institutions are leveraging AI to improve learner outcomes and manage…
Best Colleges Ranking – 2025 (WalletHub)
Insights from Ray Schroeder, Senior Fellow at UPCEA – The Online and Professional Education Association and Professor Emeritus of Communication – University of Illinois Springfield Are Ivy League and other “name- brand” schools worth the high sticker price? Wise consumers of higher education should begin with the outcome. What career or job is your desired…
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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