Colleges and universities committed to high-quality teaching and research are navigating a growing set of challenges in attracting and supporting international students. The presence of international students on our U.S. campuses enriches the academic environment, fosters global perspectives, and enhances the cultural competency of the campus communities. These learners often pursue STEM disciplines, contributing significantly…
Read MoreIn 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 MoreWe are most accustomed to writing prompts and challenging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to give us answers, insights, sources, videoclips, and creativity. Emerging now is the walking, talking AI that engages us on our level. We have front-row seats to the maturing of AI in higher education. There has been audio for a while, but now…
Read MoreIt takes a team, if not a village, to work together to deliver quality higher education. Fortunately, we have a new cohort of colleagues joining us at colleges and universities. These new colleagues are eminently qualified; most have been knowledge-certified as above-average for Ph.D. holders in their field. They are truly tireless; working 24 hours…
Read MorePeople & Programs: NC State University Vice Provost for Continuing Education Alice Warren to Retire
Alice Warren, vice provost for continuing education at North Carolina State University, has announced that she is retiring effective October 1, 2018. Warren joined the McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education at North Carolina State University in 1979. In 2008, she was appointed assistant vice chancellor and director of the division. Under Warren’s leadership…
The Commons: Ending Knowledge Discrimination
As the continuing and online education community knows all too well, in American higher education, where you learn something is more important than how well you know and can apply it. The average adult spends over 700 hours a year engaged in purposeful learning outside of the formal college curriculum. And the knowledge, skills, and…
In Memoriam: Alexander N. Charters
Alexander N. Charters (1916-2018) died in August 2018. Dr. Charters was an internationally-recognized American expert in the field of adult and continuing education. Dr. Charters was born in Verdant Valley, Alberta, Canada in 1916. He earned a B.A. in history and English from the University of British Colombia in 1938, and a Ph.D. in adult…
UPCEA Announces Partnership with Drexel University Online
Partnership is in Support of Initiative Dedicated to Advances in Online Education, Virtually Inspired WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 15, 2018) — UPCEA today announced a new partnership with Drexel University Online (DUO) to provide the association’s community with access to DUO’s ‘Virtually Inspired’ website. Virtually Inspired features a series of high-quality videos illuminating how educators worldwide…
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 MoreConsider the humble pocketknife. For most owners, it cuts a fishing line or opens a bottle. But in the right hands, it becomes a tool of precision and creativity. Now, consider Artificial Intelligence. Vastly more complex, AI is also a tool—one that, depending on the user, can serve as a shortcut or a source of…
Read MoreThe pace and pressure of academic leadership have intensified. Many leaders are navigating increased responsibilities, constrained resources, political tension, and widespread fatigue. In this environment, clarity, presence, and sustained energy are essential and precious. To lead effectively, leaders must protect their most limited resource: their focus and energy. Coaching provides a structured space to do…
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