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 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…
Workforce Pell Final Regulations Released: What Changed from the Proposed Rule | Policy Matters (May 2026)
Major Updates Workforce Pell Final Regulations Released: What Changed from the Proposed Rule The Department of Education has released the final rule on Workforce Pell Grants and the new Pell Grant exclusion for students whose non-Federal grant and scholarship aid meets or exceeds their cost of attendance. The Department reviewed approximately 440 comments but, in…
Workforce Pell and New Federal Accountability Measures Put Data Readiness in the Spotlight, New UPCEA Report Finds
New guidance from UPCEA highlights the growing urgency of data quality, learner mobility, and outcomes reporting for four-year institutions WASHINGTON, D.C., May 14, 2026 — As Workforce Pell and new federal accountability measures reshape expectations for postsecondary outcomes reporting, colleges and universities must rethink how they track, verify, and communicate learner success, according to a…
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…
A 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…
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….