Events

Attend or view webinars on your schedule and connect with peers at higher education conferences and professional networking events across the U.S. - especially useful for new or mid-level professionals. Share your lessons learned with colleagues by presenting a session at one of our conferences for higher education and get involved with the association by becoming a volunteer leader. Connect with other high-level leaders through fantastic networking opportunities during the Annual Conference and all our events, which are designed to foster professional development and career growth. Webinars are free for UPCEA Members, and membership also provides discounts to all our conferences and other events, supporting your ongoing professional learning.

• Conferences and Seminars
• Webinars & Chats
• Regional Salons
• Past Events

Conferences and Seminars

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1, 2025

2025 Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education

Washington, DC

Visit the event website

DECEMBER 2-4, 2025

2025 MEMS: Marketing, Enrollment Management, and Student Success Conference

Boston, MA

Visit the event website

UPCEA Regional Salons | Virtual | Free and open to all UPCEA members

MULTIPLE DATES

2025 Regional Salons: Free and Open to All UPCEA Members

Virtual

Visit the event website

FEBRUARY 4-5, 2026

2026 Digital Teaching & Learning (DT&L) Conference

Virtual

Free and Open to All UPCEA Members

Visit the event website

APRIL 15-17, 2026

2026 Annual Conference

New Orleans, LA

Visit the event website

Save the dates for these upcoming events:

Click here to view past events

See Featured External Engagements by UPCEA Staff

Webinars & Chats

August 12, 2025 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET

Webinar | From Theory to Practice: Integrating AI-Driven Scenarios

Hosted by Noodle

See How AI Is Reshaping Practice-Based Learning.
Join faculty from NYU Steinhardt’s Teacher Residency Program and learning experts from Noodle for a live look at how AI-driven, scenario-based learning brings real-world challenges into educational settings.

Through discussion and a live demonstration, you’ll explore how AI-driven simulations can help learners build critical skills, gain confidence, and prepare for high-stakes moments in professional practice.

What You’ll Learn:

How scenario-based learning supports skill development in education and beyond
Real-world insights from NYU’s implementation in a Teacher Residency program
Key design elements behind effective AI-powered simulations
Practical ideas for integrating scenario-based tools into your own curriculum

Presenters:

Dr. Tamara Sewell, New York University
Regina Law, Noodle
Tabitha Wiedower, Noodle

September 11, 2025 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | Behind the Build: Managing the Moving Parts of Instructional Design

Hosted by the eDesign Collaborative Network

Join us for this session focused on the art of project management in instructional design. Whether you're juggling multiple course builds, working with cross-functional teams, or refining your workflow, this session is a space to share strategies, tools, and learn how others are managing complex projects—without burning out. Join the conversation as we explore practical tips, real-world challenges, and lessons learned in managing time, people, and priorities in course design projects.

Click here to access the room at 2 PM ET on September 11 or download our calendar invite below.

Coffee Chats are informal, unrecorded, live opportunities to connect with UPCEA peers. Typically an hour or less, they provide time to discuss topics of interest, share ideas and connect with others in a casual setting.

Click here to download a calendar invite

September 16, 2025 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET

Webinar | Lead Forward: Real Tools for Real Challenges in Higher Education

Higher education leaders face increasing expectations, often with fewer resources and more complexity. In this interactive session, Dr. Jenny Stine, author of The Empowered Leader, offers practical tools and insights grounded in real experience working with academic leaders across top institutions.

Designed for Academic Leaders at Every Level
This session is designed for department chairs, deans, faculty leaders, and senior administrators seeking effective strategies that work. Whether you’re guiding a team, leading change, or responding to new demands, you’ll walk away with approaches you can apply right away.

What you’ll learn:
Tools to increase alignment, support your team, and manage complex dynamics
Lessons from ALG’s consulting and coaching work across leading universities
A new way of thinking about your leadership role and how to grow it

If you’re looking for a conversation that’s honest, useful, and focused on the realities of academic leadership, we invite you to join us.

Presenter:
Dr. Jenny Stine, Academic Leadership Group

September 17, 2025 | 3:00 PM-4:00 PM ET

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

Don’t miss UPCEA’s first virtual forum, an opportunity for senior leaders in online and professional education to connect with peers, to be briefed on the most pressing topics of our field today, and to discuss together ways we can be best positioned for the future. The forum employs a “roundtable” format, featuring the presentation of critical trends, predictions, and prognostications, intersected with time for small group discussion and reporting-out. The focus of this forum is around employer engagement and how UPCEA members can increase their capacities for U2B connections with regard to credential innovation. Featured presenters include UPCEA Peer Learning Leaders, member experts who are co-creating a course on institutional capacity for employer engagement (launched this fall), and leaders from the four highest-level Promotional Partners for Convergence 2025, UPCEA’s signature credential innovation event held this fall with co-host AACRAO. Forum conversations are unrecorded but notes will be captured for sharing broadly with the UPCEA community. Registration is gratis for this virtual learning opportunity, with support from Walmart.

October 9, 2025 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET

Webinar | BOnES 2025 - Data and Insights from the Latest UPCEA Online Enterprise Study

Join UPCEA for an exclusive look at the 2025 Benchmarking Online Enterprises Survey (BOnES)—an essential resource for understanding how today’s online enterprises are structured, staffed, and strategically positioned. This year’s findings feature enhanced per capita benchmarking based on student headcount and credit hours, offering sharper insights into operational efficiency and resource alignment. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of how institutions are navigating the adoption and governance of generative AI in online learning environments.

Key topics include:

New per capita metrics for staffing, budgets, and revenue
Trends in financial models, organizational structures, and competitive positioning
AI adoption and leadership autonomy in decision-making
Actionable recommendations to inform planning and investment

Whether you're scaling your online enterprise or refining your strategy, this data-rich session will help you benchmark effectively and lead with confidence.

Panelists:

Bruce Etter, UPCEA
Julie Uranis, UPCEA

October 30, 2025 | 1:00 PM-2:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | ID Horror Stories

Hosted by the eDesign Collaborative Network

Join us for our annual Halloween-themed coffee chat: ID Horror Stories! This traditional event provides a space to share the scariest challenges you've faced, and most importantly, how you survived and thrived. Come for the spooky stories, stay for the hard-earned wisdom and laughter.

Click here to access the room at 1 PM ET on October 30 or download our calendar invite below.

Click here to download a calendar invite

November 12, 2025 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | More with Less: AI for Operational and Instructional Enhancements

Hosted by UPCEA's Council of Chief Online Learning Officers

How can AI help us do more with less? This chat focuses on how COLOs are using AI tools to streamline administrative functions and enhance instruction. From automating enrollment processes to optimizing content creation, we'll explore the tactical uses of AI to scale impact and improve ROI.

Homework: Survey your team about their use of AI-bring those insights to share!

The Council of Chief Online Learning Officers (COLOs) invites you to an exclusive series of upcoming COLO-only Coffee Chats-dynamic, candid, peer-driven conversations crafted to tackle the most pressing challenges and innovations shaping the future of online learning leadership. These virtual gatherings offer an opportunity for COLOs to share real-world strategies, learn from each other's experiences, and engage in forward-thinking dialogue. From revenue diversification to AI implementation and academic integrity, each chat offers timely insights for building stronger, more resilient digital learning enterprises.

All sessions are designed by and for COLOs-so your voice matters. These coffee chats are more than conversations; they're catalysts for collective insight and institutional transformation.

Need to update your UPCEA roster and designate a COLO? Contact Mel Edwards ([email protected])!

Click here for the COLO-exclusive thread with chat details

November 20, 2025 | 4:00 PM-5:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | Know Before You Go: Navigating the MEMS Conference

Whether you’re a newcomer or a pro, join us for an informal opportunity to connect with other #MEMS2025 Conference attendees. This fast-paced coffee chat will get you up to speed, give you an opportunity to ask questions and start thinking about planning your conference adventure. We’ll cover what you can expect to LEARN, how to get to KNOW attendees and what else you might DO in town.

Click here to access the room at 4PM ET on November 20 or download our calendar invite.

Click here for the COLO-exclusive thread with chat details

January 14, 2026 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | One More Time for Those in the Back, Cheating Occurs in all Modalities…But Let's Talk about AI & Academic Integrity in Online Learning

Hosted by UPCEA's Council of Chief Online Learning Officers

Let's get real about academic integrity in the age of AI. This conversation will delve into how COLOs are adapting policies, assessments, and pedagogy to address integrity concerns in online education. Share your strategies, ask your toughest questions, and collaborate on maintaining trust in digital learning environments.

All sessions are designed by and for COLOs-so your voice matters. These coffee chats are more than conversations; they're catalysts for collective insight and institutional transformation.

Need to update your UPCEA roster and designate a COLO? Contact Mel Edwards ([email protected])!

Click here for the COLO-exclusive thread with chat details

Click here to view past webinar recordings