The Pulse of Higher Ed

Perspectives on Online and Professional Education
from UPCEA’s Research and Consulting Experts

Don’t miss these recent research studies from CRS

The Center for Research and Strategy has recently completed some exciting new research with a few of our corporate partners on different facets of today’s (and tomorrow’s) learners. While each of these efforts provide their own unique benefit, the suite of reports can be leveraged to better inform decision making for institutions moving forward. 

 

Today’s Disengaged Learner is Tomorrow’s Adult Learner – UPCEA and StraighterLine

A shifting economy, uncertainty during the pandemic, and troubles within the higher education landscape are causing more traditional age students to disengage, sit-out, take a gap year, seek alternative forms of education, or go straight to the workforce. This joint study by StraighterLine and UPCEA examines a portion of the student population that disengaged with their institution after previous enrollment. The research focuses on what may have caused students to disengage and what might get them to re-enroll. Participants were asked about their level of engagement with their institution, satisfaction with engagement, likelihood of re-engaging and re-enrolling, and the potential effectiveness of various reengagement strategies.

Understanding the situations and motivations that caused learners to disengage with their institutions is an important way for institutions to be able to be proactive about their engagement with their current students as well as after they leave the institution. Download the full study here.

 

The Six Personas of the New Learner: Changing Motivations and Situations of the New Learner Landscape – UPCEA and Thinking Cap

The landscape of the economy has changed significantly over the last few decades with technology shaping the delivery of education, the workforce post-graduation, and the value of a degree. Adult learners who are subject to the effects and changes of the evolving digital world are an important section of the higher education ecosystem. This paper looks at the various motivations and drivers of various adult learner segments. Participants were asked about their motivations and reasons for continuing their education, training, and acquiring new skills as well as how schools can best interact with them when communicating these new higher ed opportunities. UPCEA and Thinking Cap Agency partnered to identify the gaps and opportunity areas which institutions can engage and interact with new learners.

The adult learner has changed and continues to evolve. The new adult learner can be challenging as consumers of products and services, including education, but their complexity can provide many opportunities as well. There are also many faces or segments of the adult learner population. To best represent and understand the generational and demographic differences of the respondents, six personas were analyzed and summarized to best represent the new adult learner. Download the full study here.

 

Supporting & Retaining the New Professional Learner: How continuing education leaders can meet the needs and expectations of today’s learners – UPCEA and Salesforce.org

The higher education landscape is rapidly evolving, and younger generations enrolled in professional, continuing, and online (PCO) programs are consistently increasing. Given these factors, UPCEA and Salesforce.org wanted to gain greater insight into the expectations and experiences of continuing education (CE) students and staff.

This report highlights insights and recommendations for PCO programs at higher education institutions. The key findings reveal learner needs and expectations across the full program lifecycle, the differences between ages and experience levels, and opportunities for institutions to better communicate with, support, and retain students. Additionally, this report examines institutions’ ability to use technology to automate processes and anticipate learners’ needs. Download the full study here.

 

And look out for more research results from our Marketing survey and Revenue, Budget, Staffing and Outsourcing survey, among others, in 2022!

Learn more about UPCEA's expert consultants

Do you need help with your PCO unit or campus? We can help. Contact UPCEA Research and Consulting for a brief consult. Email [email protected] or call us at 202-659-3130.

Trusted by the nation's top colleges and universities, UPCEA Research and Consulting provides the best value in the industry today. UPCEA's industry experts have years of experience in Online and Professional Continuing education - put them to work for you!

UPCEA Research and Consulting offers a variety of custom research and consulting options through an outcomes-focused pricing model. Find the option(s) that best suit your institution.

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The UPCEA Difference

Unmatched Experience: For more than 100 years, UPCEA consultants have exclusively served the needs of online and professional continuing education programs. UPCEA consultants leverage their extensive industry expertise to expedite solutions, anticipate upcoming shifts, and offer distinct best practices, effectively aiding clients in achieving their goals.

Cost Effectiveness: As a nonprofit, member-serving organization, we provide unmatched value, allowing you to maximize limited research and consulting budgets.

Action in Motion: Our cadre of experienced, skilled authorities and expert practitioners propels you forward, translating research and consulting into impactful implementation, a distinctive hallmark of UPCEA. Our team of current and former institutional leaders will support you, turning research and consulting into action.

Mission Alignment: Like you, our mission is to enhance and expand educational opportunities and outcomes for adult and other non-traditional learners. We share your values and work in partnership with you to advance access and excellence in education.

Other UPCEA Updates + Blogs

UPCEA Virtual Forum Recap: Expanding Institutional Capacity for Employer Engagement in Credential Innovation

September 17, 2025 marked UPCEA’s first-ever Virtual Forum on Employer Engagement and Credential Innovation. The event, curated by Amy Heitzman, Ph.D., UPCEA’s Deputy CEO and Chief Learning Officer, brought together senior leaders in professional, continuing, and online education to examine how institutions can strengthen partnerships with employers and scale credentialing strategies that align with workforce…

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UPCEA Publishes “The Future Is Now: Essential Conversations for Building Tomorrow’s University Today” to Guide Higher Education Leaders into a New Era

Advocacy piece serves as a guide for institutional leaders to navigate challenging times WASHINGTON, D.C., ISSUED OCTOBER 6, 2025…UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announces the release of its latest advocacy piece, “The Future Is Now: Essential Conversations for Building Tomorrow’s University Today.”  Designed to raise awareness of critical questions every campus leader…

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Trump Administration Gives Harvard 20 Days to Turn Over Admissions Data | Policy Matters (September 2025)

Major Updates Trump Administration Gives Harvard 20 Days to Turn Over Admissions Data The U.S. Department of Education has given Harvard University 20 days to turn over detailed admissions data in connection with an ongoing federal review of selective admissions practices. While focused on one institution, this move signals heightened scrutiny across higher education. Administrators…

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Preparing Four-Year Institutions for Workforce Pell

Institutions must begin preparing now for 2026 implementation.  On July 4, 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a sweeping legislative package that reshapes federal student aid and accountability policy. Among many consequential provisions for higher education is the creation of Workforce Pell, which will extend Pell Grant eligibility to some short-term,…

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How AI Is Rewriting the Playbook for Enrollment Management

Introduction Enrollment managers face a paradox: students demand personalized service, yet resources are shrinking. While AI is exciting, it is also an expensive endeavor for enrollment management divisions already stretched by staffing and resource challenges. Traditional methods—manual file reviews, siloed systems, and lagging indicators—simply can’t keep up. The solution lies in determining how to leverage…

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Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. James P. Pappas

UPCEA joins colleagues, friends, and the broader higher education community in mourning the passing of Dr. James P. Pappas, who dedicated his career to advancing the reach, relevance, and impact of online, professional and continuing education. Dr. Pappas, a former President of UPCEA, was the 1999 Walton S. Bittner Service Citation Award recipient and 2006…

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