As the future of work rapidly evolves, higher education institutions must accelerate their capacity to engage with employers—building bridges between learning and labor market relevance. At UPCEA, with support from Walmart, the world’s largest employer, we’ve undertaken two major initiatives to strengthen these bridges. The first project provided foundational benchmarking data, a practical playbook, and…
Read MoreIf 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 MoreAs we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the emphasis in higher learning is less on in-depth discipline knowledge and more on agile skills in critical thinking and creative thinking. How can we more deeply integrate the development of these skills into our curricula? Of course, the need for these skills is based upon the continuing…
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 MoreUPCEA and Higher Education Groups Urge Congress to Continue Support for Student Aid, Research
UPCEA today co-signed a letter led by ACE and 32 other higher education associations to the leaders of the House and Senate budget and appropriations committees, asking them to maintain Congress’s “historic commitment” to student financial aid and scientific research as they begin work on funding the federal government for FY 2018, which begins Oct. 1. As…
UPCEA Signs DACA Support Letter Joining HACU and Others
UPCEA today joined the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and 26 other organizations to issue a letter to Secretary John Kelly of the Department of Homeland Security requesting clarification regarding protections offered under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Our concern surrounds DACA holders being deported or detained and threatened with deportation…
The Future of Jobs and Jobs Training (Pew Research Center)
The Future of Jobs and Jobs Training (Pew Research Center) May 3, 2017 Ray Schroeder, associate vice chancellor for online learning at the University of Illinois, Springfield, commented, “It is projected that those entering the workforce today will pursue four or five different careers (not just jobs) over their lifetime. These career changes will…
Many Voices are More Impactful Than One: The National Adult Learner Coalition (The EvoLLLution)
Though non-traditional students have morphed into the new majority students on college and university campuses across the United States, public and institutional policy has largely remained focused on the “traditional” 18-22-year-old demographic. Unfortunately, this has created an environment that leaves the majority of students underserved on their own campuses, but a group of associations focused…
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 MoreRebuilding Student Trust: 6 coaching strategies to support belonging for online and adult learners How institutions can help online and adult learners feel seen and supported throughout their college journey In today’s higher education landscape, more adult learners are enrolling in online programs, often while managing work, family and other life commitments. However, these motivated…
Read MoreWhy academic institutions are embedding IT credential content into programs far beyond computer science. The new reality: every field is a tech field Whether you’re studying law or logistics, public health or public policy, tech skills are no longer optional. From automation to data security to compliance, today’s workforce expects professionals to be as comfortable…
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