Imagine your bellwether program stepping into a modern search arena with a glossy tri-fold and a storied reputation, ready to battle any challenger. Across the ring rolls a robotic rival as “The Imperial March” blares over the speakers. The ref signals start; a blinding spotlight from the robot makes your program vanish from view. The…
Read MoreIntroduction At the 2025 UPCEA Annual Conference, the session “Owning Your Awesomeness” reminded us that professional growth isn’t just about mastering skills—it’s about recognizing and amplifying the unique strengths we already have. For leaders and practitioners in professional and online education this means embracing both the outward image we present and the inner narratives that…
Read MoreMost of us in higher education are now familiar with generative AI bots, where you formulate a prompt and get a reply. Yet, we are now beginning the advancement to agentic AI, the autonomous 24-7 project manager. The dramatic enhancement in the capability of AI as it moves from bots to agents will bring about…
Read MoreTwo weeks ago, we examined the transformation of higher education in the next five years. Today, we look at how this transformation will shift the emphasis of our teaching. As with the prior column, this week’s thesis evolves out of the Zoom Keynote to the Rethink AI Conference, sponsored in part by the International Academy…
Read MoreUniversities’ continuing ed teams need more data, resources (EdScoop)
Universities are building out continuing education teams to meet demand, but workers say they lack easy access to real-time metrics like enrollment, according to a survey released Monday by the edtech company Modern Campus and the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. According to the report, continuing and professional education professionals see lack of resources…
Significant Changes on Distance Education Regulations Considered as Negotiated Rulemaking Committee Concludes | Policy Matters (March 2022)
Major Updates Significant Changes on Distance Education Regulations Considered as Negotiated Rulemaking Committee Concludes | Consensus on Only Two of Seven Issue Papers Reached The Institutional and Programmatic Eligibility Committee’s final session at the US Department of Education concluded this month, resulting in consensus on language around two issues: Ability To Benefit, and the 90/10…
Student Coaching and Best Practices
Student coaching is a critical role to supporting a student’s wellbeing and growth during the time they are enrolled in an academic program. Today’s students are no longer fresh out of high school kids. They hold a variety of titles like first generation college student, active military service member, veterans, working professionals, and everything in…
Bill with Short-Term Job Training Pell Passes House; Excludes Online Programs | Policy Matters (February 2022)
Major Updates Bill with Short-Term Job Training Pell Passes House; Excludes Online Programs The COMPETES Act passed the House of Representatives in early February. An amendment to the bill establishes a new short-term job training Pell grant program. Unfortunately, this provision excluded any online-only programs. UPCEA has long advocated for short-term job training Pell programs,…
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…
Read MoreWe 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 MoreStudent success starts with the right conversation. By uniting data, technology, and human connection, institutions can shift from reactive outreach to proactive engagement that strengthens trust, equity, and long-term retention. Every Student Is a Story, Not a Segment “On the other side of every data point, every phone number, every email address, there’s a person…
Read MoreSearch behavior has evolved, and so has the path to enrollment. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google’s AI Overviews shape how people gather information, verify details, and form opinions. For higher education marketers, that means program visibility depends on showing up wherever students look for answers, not only in search results but across…
Read More