In the fast-evolving landscape of higher education and workforce alignment, non-degree credentials are surging in popularity. This trend is largely a result of baccalaureate degrees that are not adapting quickly to address more immediate market needs, coupled with a skepticism about the value of the degree. In place of bachelor’s degrees, students are seeking more…
Read MoreWhy Values-Based Influence Matters Now Higher education is undergoing seismic shifts—demographic changes, budget constraints, AI disruption, and questions of relevance. In this environment, how we lead and why we lead matters as much as what we do as leaders. Leaders who operate from a strong internal compass—those grounded in values—offer clarity, stability, and hope. Values-based…
Read MoreIn reflecting on my feelings about the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our lives, I must report they are mixed. I have the strong sense of the inevitability that this technology will meet and exceed its hype to alter the course of humanity, generally for the better. However, at the same time there is…
Read MoreArtificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of contemporary practice in higher education. This summer is an ideal time to become AI literate for the fall. Perhaps you just haven’t had time to keep up with the advent of agentic AI. Or, you simply didn’t realize that AI is not just a fad in…
Read MoreGeorgia Tech’s Dean of Professional Education Nelson Baker to Serve as UPCEA President
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2019 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed Dr. Nelson Baker as the association’s 2019-20 President during the 2019 UPCEA Annual Conference. Baker is the dean of Professional Education at the Georgia Institute of Technology and professor in the university’s School of Civil…
President Trump Signs Campus Free Speech Executive Order
On March 21st, President Trump signed an executive order on “Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability on Campus” that directs federal agencies which provide funding for university research to be sure that they are funding colleges that support free speech on their campuses. This was an “historic action to defend American students and American values…
White House Releases Vision for Higher Education Act Reform
The White House released their vision of what reforms should be made to the Higher Education Act (HEA) during the reauthorization of it in Congress. It’s proposals within mirror the budget it also proposed just one week prior. Some of the major retooling includes: changing accreditation process to focus on outcomes; a significant cut for…
Trump Administration Releases Budget Cutting Approximately 10% of ED Funding
On Monday March 11th, the Trump administration released their budget proposal for the 2020 fiscal year. Included in the proposal is a $7.1 billion cut to the Department of Education, approximately equal to 10% of its total current operational budget. These proposals follow similar attempts in past budgets the administration has put forward. The cuts…
Over the last three years, UPCEA engaged in an innovative partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison to enable the latter’s Distance Teaching and Learning (DT&L) conference to continue under UPCEA’s leadership. The partnership’s goals included making this valuable event for the distance learning community more sustainable and accessible to online practitioners focused on teaching and…
Read MoreA Movement, Not Just a Community Convergence is emerging as the place where the credential innovation community for higher ed comes together. But more than a community, it’s a movement. Not a movement to make degrees less valuable, let alone obsolete. Rather, it’s a movement to complement degrees by meeting the needs of those for…
Read MoreMany non-academic factors influence learners’ higher education decisions: financial implications, geography, degree paths, sports success, family legacy, and more. While there are many ways for a given institution to market itself, economic, technological, and societal shifts are motivating schools to refocus their marketing on attributes that specifically drive positive outcomes and generate industry-ready graduates: Learners…
Read MoreHigher education institutions are navigating a rapidly evolving search landscape. With so many prospective students turning to search engines to explore programs and make enrollment decisions, universities must ensure their SEO strategies keep pace with these changes. Without a clear SEO strategy, institutions risk losing visibility. According to the Higher Ed SEO Research Study developed…
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