Across higher education, the conversation about artificial intelligence has moved rapidly from curiosity to consequence. Institutions are no longer asking only whether AI will affect their work; they are asking how to lead through that change responsibly, strategically, and in ways that advance mission. That shift is at the center of UPCEA’s AI Study Groups,…
As leaders in online and professional continuing education, we often find ourselves at the intersection of hope and pragmatism. We see the transformative power of a postsecondary credential for an adult balancing career and family. Yet, we also hear a recurring, disheartening refrain from prospective students: “I simply can’t afford it.” There’s a persistent myth…
Do you recall when continuing professional education was considered outside the mainstream of the higher education hierarchy, often relegated to extension services? It wasn’t that long ago that professional education was the less-respected, fragile forum for night school, weekend programs, extension and applied study at many colleges and universities. More recently housing the nascent online…
Much is being said about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the hands of students resulting in “too many “A”s being granted! We are seeing colleges and universities across the country cracking down on “grade inflation.” It is my long-held belief that striving to have a near-equal number of “A”s and “F”s in a…
UPCEA Weighs In On College Afforability Act (CAA) Markup
UPCEA, along with ACE, and other organizations, wrote to Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott and Ranking Member Virginia Foxx to offer views on H.R. 4674, the College Affordability Act (CAA) introduced by Chairman Scott that will be marked up by the Committee. Any comprehensive Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization proposal represents a…
Policy Matters | Both Parties Release Higher Ed Policy Reforms (October 2019)
Welcome to the October edition of Policy Matters. Each issue has the latest updates and actionable items in public policy for adult and nontraditional education stakeholders. Major Update Both Republicans and Democrats Release Legislation for Major Higher Ed Reforms We now have a clearer vision of where this Congress’ Democrats and Republicans stand on how to…
Emboldening Student Driven Learning in the Online Environment
By SmartBrief Editors This post is produced in partnership with UPCEA. The world of professional, continuing and online education is in constant flux. Former associate dean of academic affairs at Syracuse University and current University of North Carolina at Greensboro division of online learning dean, Dr. Karen Bull provides her perspective in this online…
Policy Matters | Sen. Alexander wants to pass scaled-back HEA (September 2019)
Welcome to the fourth installment in our monthly public policy primer, Policy Matters. Each issue has the latest updates and actionable items in public policy for adult and nontraditional education stakeholders. Major Updates Senator Alexander Announces Intent to Pass Scaled-Back Higher Education Act Reauthorization Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) stated he wants to attempt to update broad-based…
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…
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,…
The conversation in higher education around AI has shifted. A few years ago, faculty and administrators were asking whether AI belonged on campus at all. Today, most leaders have moved past that question. Students are using AI tools, regardless of whether institutions sanction them. Employers are already factoring AI fluency into how they evaluate graduates….