Online learning now sits at the center of institutional strategy. The leaders who run it are stretched thin — bigger portfolios, less time, authority that rarely matches responsibility. UPCEA and Quality Matters are coordinating the research schedules of two national studies: UPCEA’s Benchmarking Online Enterprises (BOnES) survey and the Changing Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE)…
Artificial intelligence is becoming part of the everyday work of higher education. From enrollment management and student services to academic administration and continuing and professional education, AI is creating opportunities to rethink how work is accomplished. Much of the discussion has focused on what AI can do. For institutional leaders, however, a more important question…
Clearly, many aspects of everyday living have begun to change in the emerging, evolving “Age of AI.” Higher education must acknowledge and adapt to those changes and anticipate the ones yet to come. Some faculty members fail to recognize that the world has changed and we must respond to those changes in how and what…
In a remarkable period of intense development of powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, leaders in the industry have called for a modest level of oversight to ensure safety and provide protections against misuse and abuse of the power of AI. Late last month, President Trump announced the formation of a “Superintelligence Force” to oversee AI…
UPCEA CEO Robert J. Hansen to Retire in 2027; Board to Launch National Search for Successor
Hansen will leave an organization that has nearly quadrupled its annual revenue and become the leading association for online and professional education WASHINGTON, October 21, 2026 – The UPCEA Board of Directors today announced that Dr. Robert J. Hansen, who has led UPCEA, the online and professional education association, for more than 16 years, will…
Workforce Pell Moves from Rules to Reality: State Pipelines, New Federal Training, and $65 Million from Labor | Policy Matters (September 2026)
Major Updates Workforce Pell Moves from Rules to Reality: State Approval Pipelines Mature, ED Launches Training, and Labor Awards $65 Million Nearly three months after Workforce Pell Grants (Pell awards for programs of 150–599 clock hours, or 8 to fewer than 15 weeks) became available on July 1, the rollout is moving at very different…
2026 UPCEA MEMS Award Recipients Announced
26 recipients chosen across three award categories WASHINGTON, D.C., September 16, 2026 — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, has announced the recipients of the 2026 Excellence in Enrollment Management Award, the Excellence in Advancing Student Success Award, and the Excellence in Marketing Award. All three awards are sponsored by UPCEA’s Marketing, Enrollment Management,…
New Research: AI Answers Decide Which Schools Prospects Choose as Consideration Sets Continue to Shrink
UPCEA and Search Influence’s 2026 study finds prospective students question AI more, but increasingly use and trust it in their search for programs NEW ORLEANS, La. — September 16, 2026 — Prospective students consider just three or fewer continuing and online education programs before applying, and AI-generated search overviews increasingly shape which ones make that…
In 1915, UPCEA’s founders built this association on a simple idea: carrying knowledge to the people. That founding purpose never had an expiration date, and it does not have one now. It is why, more than a century later, the question in front of us was never whether professional learning needs to change. It is…
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…
Effectively enrolling and supporting student veterans is more than a patriotic gesture—it should be a strategic priority. While colleges nationwide aim to diversify their student populations, student veterans offer a unique opportunity. These students are highly motivated and bring diverse experiences that can significantly enhance any campus community. Here’s how colleges can implement cost-effective strategies…
The recent Convergence Conference in New Orleans brought together thought leaders from across the higher education spectrum, offering profound insights on how institutions can evolve to better meet the needs of learners in an era of rapid change. This was our fourth UPCEA-hosted event and the second time at Convergence, but my first time attending….