Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping work across society, and higher education institutions are no exception. Traditionally, discussions around AI in the academy have focused on student-facing issues such as academic integrity and personalized learning. Today’s higher education leaders are called to lead institutional transformation shaped by AI. A new research study from EDUCAUSE conducted in partnership with AIR, NACUBO,…
The Missing Majority: Strategies for Re-engaging Men in Online and Professional Continuing Education
For decades, the narrative in higher education has focused on expanding access. While we have made incredible strides in many areas, a quiet but profound crisis has emerged: the vanishing male student. Across the UPCEA membership, from large public land-grants to private institutions, the data is undeniable. Nationally, women now outnumber men by approximately 60%…
Information and knowledge are growing at an accelerating rate. As we usher graduates out of college, much of their knowledge is useless, already out of date. On Medium, Futurist Jim Carroll writes “In 1900, knowledge doubled approximately every 100 years. By 1945, this rate accelerated to every 25 years, and by 1982, it was every…
When I make presentations about AI, I am most often asked, “What can I do now to ensure that AI doesn’t take my job?” And, that’s a challenge to answer. We do not know just how, and how quickly, AI will roll out. However, a Gallup Poll released last week showed nearly one-quarter of American…
Policy Matters | Many Regulations Taking Effect July 1 (June 2020)
COVID 19 – CARES Act Funding + Reopening Policies The past few months have been confusing for institutions wishing to disburse COVID-19 emergency grant dollars due to the Department of Education changing allocation calculations and requirements, including eligibility for who can receive grants from the relief legislation. One of the main groups that the Administration has…
Racial Justice and the Mission of Professional, Continuing, and Online Education
UPCEA and its members are deeply troubled by the recent senseless killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, and the lives taken before him. Many others have been affected in the wake of these tragedies. This, combined with the health care disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, underscore the systemic racism that…
UPCEA Signs Letter to Hill on Broadband Access and Infrastructure
Twenty-nine (29) higher education associations and organizations, including UPCEA, joined EDUCAUSE on June 5, 2020, in sending a letter to Congress on significant broadband issues for higher education. The groups asked Congress to consider the needs of economically distressed college students in relation to efforts to bridge the digital divide during COVID-19 pandemic, specifically citing the Supporting Connectivity…
Policy Matters | Department of Education Extends Distance Education Approval to December (May 2020)
Department of Education Extends Distance Education Approval to December In an updated guidance letter, the Department of Education has extended flexibility, originally provided in early March, for broad approval of the creation of distance education programs beginning between March 5 and December 31, 2020 due to interruptions of study related to COVID-19. It has also extended…
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…
Community colleges play a vital role in helping learners access affordable education and career-ready training. Students can earn credentials that lead to meaningful jobs quickly, especially in healthcare. Yet for many, financial stress and unmet basic needs make it difficult to enroll or stay enrolled. These barriers often weigh heaviest on part-time, nontraditional, first-generation, and low-income…
The student journey has changed — and expectations are rising. Students today are moving faster, arriving more informed, and expecting experiences that feel responsive and personalized. Research behaviors are shifting, and AI is increasingly shaping how prospective students discover and evaluate programs. The path to enrollment is becoming more complex and more personalized, and students…