Defining Microcredentials and Their Value Microcredentials, shorter educational programs that develop specific skills or competencies, have seen tremendous growth in recent years. Both adult learners and traditional students increasingly seek these credentials for upskilling or career advancement. While the term “microcredentials” is relatively new, short-form credentials have been offered by higher education institutions for decades,…
Read MoreEnrollment management plays a pivotal role in the success of any online and professional continuing education units through impact on revenue generation, learner engagement, and program sustainability. AI-driven business process automation (BPA) offers transformative solutions to streamline enrollment workflows, enhance recruitment strategies, and improve the overall student experience through allowing staff to focus on human…
Read MoreAs I write this at the dawn of 2025, I believe a scan of a few of the most recent developments in generative AI in higher education helps to illuminate the path this technology will take in the coming year. I publish a number of daily news update blogs for UPCEA, the Online and Professional…
Read MoreIt was more than two decades ago that I was advocating the concept of enabling students to continue to follow the evolving developments and topics in the classes I taught through news blogs offered to support the learning in class. I called the concept, “Semester without End.” Now, OpenAI is suggesting that custom GPTs be…
Read MoreUS Department of Education Delays Gainful Employment Rule to 2018
On the eve of the proposed date of implementation, the US Department of Education has delayed the Gainful Employment regulations until July 1, 2018, stating this is part of a fulfillment on their promise of reducing burdensome regulation. A federal register notice was issued announcing the delay. This delay will allow for institutions to have…
10 Facts About Student Interaction in Online Programs (U.S. News & World Report)
Though online students are often far from one another, many online instructors still assign group projects. Online students may use tools such as Google Docs to edit assignments along with Skype and online chatrooms for discussions. “It is preparation for the workforce,” says Ray Schroeder, associate vice chancellor for online learning at the University of…
AGB Search and UPCEA Partner to Serve Growing Nontraditional Higher Learning Sector
Partnership will focus on executive searches for professional, continuing, and online education. WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 28, 2017 – AGB Search, the firm focused exclusively on all aspects of higher education executive search, has partnered with UPCEA, the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education, to provide executive search services for higher education…
Secretary DeVos Issues Statement on Regulatory Reform Task Force Progress Report
US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today released the following statement on the Department’s Regulatory Reform Task Force’s first progress report as required by President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13777: “The Regulatory Reform Task Force has been hard at work over the last few months cataloguing over 150 regulations and…
Over 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 MoreA 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…
Read MoreIn 2025, online, professional, and continuing education leaders are navigating a challenging yet transformative period. Rising demands for skills-based, flexible learning are matched by an increasingly competitive landscape. Today’s adult learners, who often balance work and study, seek programs that offer immediate value, clear career pathways, and lifelong learning opportunities. As traditional degree enrollment declines,…
Read MoreIn the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare education, student success is paramount. One crucial marker of a student’s success is their ability to pass a certification exam. Beyond personal achievement, successful exam outcomes carry profound implications for the students, their educational institutions, and the communities they serve. Let’s delve into the multifaceted benefits that stem from…
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