The 2026 State of Continuing Education report makes one thing unmistakably clear: UPCEA member institutions know where they want to go. What they need is help getting there. The findings from this year’s study read less like a progress report and more like a stress test. Microcredential adoption has hit an all-time high (88%). Workforce…
For more than a decade, higher education leaders have relied on IPEDS data to understand the growth of distance education. Since distance education reporting was added to IPEDS in 2012, the number of students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses has more than doubled. Today, more than 5.3 million students are enrolled exclusively in distance…
Remarkably, in this highly-partisan era of American history, there is a newly-formed, non-partisan association with the stated purpose of “partnering with governors, employers, and training partners to help the American workforce make a successful transition to an AI economy.” This is the first large-scale independent entity formed to address the challenge that is top-of-mind of…
Today’s title carries a double meaning for those of us in higher education. Summers traditionally bring the opportunity to refresh and update the courses we teach, and it also brings the chance to look afresh at the course of our own personal careers. First, as we review our courses, their currency, relevance and value, it…
UPCEA Congratulates Members Recognized in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Ranking of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs
Nineteen of the twenty-three Top 20 Ranked Institutions are UPCEA Members WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 5, 2026) — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is pleased to congratulate the many UPCEA members recognized in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings. U.S. News rankings include nearly 1,850 online programs, covering bachelor’s…
New Research Highlights a Disconnect Between University Retention Strategies and Adult Learner Priorities
National study from Collegis Education and UPCEA highlights opportunity for institutions to strengthen student persistence through better alignment of strategy, systems, and support WASHINGTON, D.C. and CHICAGO, IL – February 4, 2026 — As adult learners account for a growing share of higher education enrollment, colleges and universities face increasing pressure to sustain persistence in…
Institutional Adoption of Microcredentials Plateaus as Workforce Focus Accelerates, New Study Finds
New study from UPCEA, The EvoLLLution, and Modern Campus highlights the growing importance of strategic alignment to sustain credential innovation TORONTO and WASHINGTON, D.C., February 3, 2026 — Higher education leaders continue to recognize the value of microcredentials for workforce development and professional advancement, but institutional adoption and perceived fiscal impact have stalled, according to…
Consensus Achieved on New Accountability Metrics at AHEAD Negotiated Rulemaking | Policy Matters (January 2026)
Major Updates Education Department AHEAD Negotiated Rulemaking Wraps Up; Consensus Achieved on New Accountability Metrics The Department of Education’s AHEAD negotiated rulemaking committee has now wrapped its winter work with consensus language on the program accountability portion, following the committee’s earlier consensus on Workforce Pell regulatory text. Now that consensus has been reached, ED is…
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…
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…
Adult learners have become an increasingly important focus for higher education institutions. Today, adult learners are not an emerging population. They are the reality shaping the future of higher education. According to the Risepoint 2026 Voice of the Online Learner report, 89% of online learners work while pursuing their education, including 77% who work full…
Your next prospective student has already formed an impression of your program. They just haven’t visited your website yet. Half of prospective students now use AI tools at least weekly. 79% read Google’s AI Overviews. Before a student fills out an RFI form, an AI tool has likely already answered their questions about your program,…