COLO Compass: Evidence and practical direction for chief online learning officers. Georgia put a question on the table that every state should be asking: What does online education actually cost? Earlier this year, Georgia’s state Senate proposed paying public colleges roughly 91 cents for every dollar of online instruction relative to campus instruction, meaning online…
Leadership is not defined only by the circumstances we encounter, but also by how we learn from them and determine what comes next. Higher education leaders often accept positions because they believe in an institution’s mission and see opportunities to make a meaningful difference. They bring experience, professional judgment, and a commitment to supporting students,…
What happens when the exponential growth graph of a technology approaches the point at which it “begins to go vertical?” That is just where we are in the implementation of agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI). Since the release of ChatGPT 3.5 just four years ago this month, we have experienced a steady-to-ever increasing rate of improvement…
Clearly, many aspects of everyday living have begun to change in the emerging, evolving “Age of AI.” Higher education must acknowledge and adapt to those changes and anticipate the ones yet to come. Some faculty members fail to recognize that the world has changed and we must respond to those changes in how and what…
What to Look for in a Higher Education Professional Association
Access to a professional membership association is crucial for those in higher education leadership positions. Whether you are working to develop new programming at a college or university or serving as an academic dean, professional associations offer access to the leading seminars, conferences, higher education workshops, and networking events. Thus, choosing the right higher education…
Member Benefits You’ll Use Immediately (Not “Nice to Have”)
Joining a professional association should deliver tangible benefits right away — not just perks that look good on paper. For leaders in online and professional continuing education, the difference lies in benefits that solve real-world challenges, such as training teams quickly, validating budget decisions, troubleshooting with peers, and aligning strategy with emerging trends. The most…
UPCEA Announces 2026-2027 Leadership Team for Council for Credential Innovation
UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces the 2026-2027 leadership team for the Council for Credential Innovation (CCI). The association extends its gratitude to the 21 member volunteers serving in leadership roles for this body. The Council for Credential Innovation (CCI) and its members focus on leveraging the strategic potential of non-degree credentials, workforce-focused…
UPCEA Releases Guidebook on Employer Engagement and Credential Innovation
New resource provides practical frameworks and tools to help institutions strengthen workforce-aligned credential strategies WASHINGTON (June 2, 2026) — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today released a new guidebook designed to help colleges and universities strengthen employer partnerships and build institutional capacity for workforce-aligned credential innovation. Developed through a multi-year grant-funded initiative, Expanding…
In 1915, UPCEA’s founders built this association on a simple idea: carrying knowledge to the people. That founding purpose never had an expiration date, and it does not have one now. It is why, more than a century later, the question in front of us was never whether professional learning needs to change. It 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…
A learner who values independence may find an automated response convenient and sufficient. Another, facing the same question, may need guidance to understand the implications for their circumstances. Both expect the institution to help them move forward, but what that requires can look quite different. Boundless Learning’s 2026 online learner segmentation research, conducted with Hanover…
Over 80% of instructional designers reported using AI in 2025, and it’s safe to assume that number has grown this year. (At Six Red Marbles, all our designers use AI daily.) They’re using AI for everything from proposing guidelines for content development to formatting documents and creating visuals. At colleges and universities, instructional designers are…