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 MoreThere is a new “cliff” in American higher education, and it is not the demographic cliff. Rather, it is the dramatic cliff in math knowledge, skills, and abilities. Let me be clear that other discipline deficiencies are found in this new generation of college students, however they are dwarfed by those in math. These have…
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 MoreAgile in Higher Ed Marketing
The Agile methodology has been around for more than 20 years, spearheaded and most well-known in software development and tech circles. However, the Agile methodology and various frameworks can be applied to almost any discipline. At NC State Online, embracing Agile has completely transformed our marketing process and allowed us to take on more projects…
UPCEA and the University of Wisconsin–Madison to Partner on Distance Teaching & Learning (DT&L) Conferences
Partnership brings UPCEA’s experience in online leadership and administration to UW–Madison’s highly valued annual DT&L conferences. WASHINGTON, D.C. and MADISON, WI (Jan. 12, 2022) – The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) and the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) announced today they will partner on UW–Madison’s annual Distance Teaching & Learning (DT&L) conferences in 2022…
Growing ‘maze’ of education credentials is confusing consumers, employers (The Washington Post)
[…] There is, in fact, a “maze” of nearly a million unique education credentials in the United States, the nonprofit Credential Engine reports, including not only degrees but also badges, certificates, licenses, apprenticeships and industry certifications. More have popped up during the pandemic as career-switchers seek education and training. The result is confusion among employers…
Infrastructure Bill Passes + Build Back Better Act Gets Blocked | Policy Matters (December 2021)
Major Updates Infrastructure Bill Passes + Build Back Better Act Gets Blocked President Biden signed the Infrastructure Bill into law in the middle of November, with bipartisan support. The bill contained significant investments in broadband infrastructure and affordability, and ways in which institutions of higher education may receive grants for research or execution of climate…
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 MoreOnline programs are no longer a nice-to-have. They are essential, with many schools looking to online as their primary growth lever amid market headwinds. A strong portfolio of online programs can allow institutions to grow enrollment, reach new student populations, and future-proof their offerings. But building, launching, and sustaining a successful online program operation requires…
Read MoreHalf of prospective students use AI tools every week. Yet, only about a third of higher education institutions have a formal strategy for AI search. That gap isn’t just a metric. It’s a brand visibility crisis. Students are using ChatGPT and Perplexity to research programs, compare universities, and narrow their lists, often before they ever…
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