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

DECEMBER 2-4, 2025

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

Boston, MA

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

MULTIPLE DATES

2025 Regional Salons: Free and Open to All UPCEA Members

Virtual

Visit the event website

APRIL 15-17, 2026

2026 Annual Conference

New Orleans, LA

Visit the event website

July 29-31, 2026

2026 SOLAR (Summit for Online Leadership and Administration)

Boston, MA

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

November 5, 2025 | 12:00 PM-1:00 PM ET

Webinar | Augmenting Your Capabilities and Operations with AI

Hosted by the UPCEA Business & Operations Network

AI has quickly become a tool that all of us need to know how to use. Hosted by the Business and Operations Network, and featuring other Networks (areas of practice), this webinar will focus on examples of ways to use AI to make our jobs easier or to make our work product higher quality. Expect to leave with several practical ideas that you can start using immediately in your work!

Presenters:

Anne Tai, Rice University
Nico Rose, University of Florida
Trisha Wells, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

November 7, 2025 | 1:00 PM-2:00 PM ET

Webinar | AI Enabled Search For Higher Ed Success

Hosted by EducationDynamics

The power of AI has foundationally changed search engine operations. Search engines don’t wait for perfect keywords, they anticipate what students want before they ever click. The higher ed institutions winning in this new environment aren’t clinging to outdated tactics like keyword matching and siloed marketing campaigns. They’re aligning strategy with how AI actually works, and they’re seeing the results: 84% more inquiries and 24% lower cost per application.

If your institution isn’t realizing that kind of performance, it’s time to ask: Are you adapting, or are you falling behind?

Join UPCEA with a presentation from us at EducationDynamics and one of our partner institutions for a critical conversation on how AI has rewritten the rules of digital engagement. You’ll learn how to move beyond legacy keyword strategies and into the era of intent-driven, algorithm-informed search marketing designed for the way today’s students discover, decide and enroll.

Presenters:

Bridget Calacci, Champlain College
Jason LaShelle, Champlain College
Sarah Russell, EducationDynamics
Courtney Hill, EducationDynamics

November 12, 2025 | 1:00 PM-2:00 PM ET

Webinar | Beyond the AI Bot: Strategies for Peer Engagement to Keep Learning Human

Hosted by Harmonize Learning

AI can churn out answers—but it can’t replace authentic student connection or the creative spark of multi-modal work. This session will explore how fostering peer engagement, incorporating structured peer review, and using diverse media in assignments relegates AI to an assistant’s role rather than replacing the learning—while making the experience more engaging for everyone. You’ll discover strategies to boost originality, encourage meaningful collaboration, and design assessments that are stronger than ever.

With a focus on creative fields like gaming, art, and audio technology, we’ll highlight how peer review gives students the chance to see one another’s work, gain new perspectives, and build communication skills that elevate their final projects. Along the way, you’ll see how structured workflows reduce instructor workload, foster accountability through milestone tracking, and support RSI compliance by creating substantive, trackable student interactions. Whether you want to improve student motivation, streamline feedback, or simply make assessments more impactful, this session offers practical approaches you can put into action right away while sidestepping AI use in classrooms.

Presenters:

Dr. Alyson Mike, University of Silicon Valley
Marcus Popetz, Harmonize Learning

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 for 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 and bring those insights to share!

The Council for 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])!

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 for the COLO-exclusive thread with chat details

November 12, 2025 | 3:00 PM-4:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | Workforce Collaboration Partnerships and Operations

Hosted by UPCEA's Community and Economic Engagement (CEE)

In case you missed it, there’s a growing interest in CORe from our peers in the Corporate and Workforce space looking to connect. We gave space and heard great conversation at Convergence and now we’d like to host a Coffee Chat for more opportunities for peers to connect. Join leaders from the Community and Economic Engagement Network for a Coffee Chat that will continue the conversation.

Hosted by the CEE Network, UPCEA Coffee Chats are informal, unrecorded, live opportunities to connect with 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 access the room at 3:00 PM ET on November 12, or download the calendar invitation below.

Click here to download a calendar invite

November 13, 2025 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | Building Global Bridges: Conversations with International Education Partners

Hosted by the UPCEA International Network

Are you looking to explore international education through a global lens? Join us for an engaging and informal conversation with education partners from around the world, which will offer a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, compare educational frameworks, and discuss emerging trends shaping the international education landscape. Whether you're seeking new collaborations or simply curious about global perspectives, this chat is designed to spark meaningful dialogue and foster lasting connections among organizations. Bring your questions, insights, and curiosity to this opportunity to learn and grow!

Click here to access the room at 11:00 AM ET on November 13, or download a calendar invitation below.

Click here to download a calendar invite

November 20, 2025 | 12:00 PM-12:45 PM ET

Webinar | Infrastructure as a Catalyst for Scale: Inside UC Merced PACE's 2.6M Continuing Education Growth Story

Hosted by Drieam

What does it take to build a new continuing education division from the ground up and scale it to more than $2.6 million in under two years with a limited team of 9 FTE?

At the University of California Merced, the Division of Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) made a deliberate choice to focus first on infrastructure, reducing friction across the student journey, connecting its CRM and LMS, and preparing for a new SIS to enable future capabilities such as group and employer registrations.

This infrastructure-first approach has created the foundation for sustainable, data-informed growth—allowing the team to scale programs and operations efficiently while expanding access and impact.

Join Annette Roberts Webb, Dean of UC Merced PACE, as she shares how her team is designing infrastructure and processes that allow a small staff to operate efficiently while positioning the unit for long-term success.

Presenter:

Annette Roberts Webb, University of California, Merced

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 below.

Click here to download a calendar invite

December 10, 2025 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET

Webinar | Conferences to Credits: How Chico State & CTA Scaled Teacher PD into Transcripted University Credit

Hosted by the Credential Innovation Network

Learn how California State University, Chico (Chico State) and the California Teachers Association (CTA) built a high-scale University Credit Program that converts CTA conference participation into faculty-vetted, transcripted academic credit (1 unit per 15 hours), funded as a CTA member benefit.

Since 2021, over 40,000 teachers have participated, logging more than 2.7 million professional development hours and earning over 185,000 units, with survey-reported average salary gains of approximately $3,500 and strong uptake in rural districts.

This session unpacks the operating model (union–university governance, quality assurance, and IT enablement), the impacts on revenue and access, and why this approach advances alternative credentials by making informal PD visible, verifiable, and portable across systems. Attendees will leave with practical steps to adapt this model in their own contexts.

December 11, 2025 | 1:00 PM-2:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | New England Region: Ask Me AI-nything

Hosted by the New England Region

Join the New England Region for a Coffee Chat designed to continue the conversation started during our Region Salon, with a focus on the evolving role of AI in higher education. Whether you're just beginning to explore AI or ready to dive deeper, this session provides a space for open dialogue, practical questions, and shared experiences. We’ll be joined by Dr. Colleen Bielitz, interim vice president for institutional advancement at Southern Connecticut State University who led a well attended conversation at our Salon.

Click here to download a calendar invite

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.

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

January 15, 2026 | 3:00 PM-4:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | Higher Education in 2026: Reframing Language and Practice for Today’s Learners

Hosted by the UPCEA's Engagement & Opportunity Committee

As the postsecondary environment shifts under the current administration, higher education professionals are reflecting on how best to describe and support learners who have not been fully engaged in traditional models of postsecondary education. Many institutions are exploring new ways to identify, describe, and reach students who have historically been overlooked or excluded from standard pathways.

This unrecorded coffee chat offers a space for colleagues in professional, continuing, and online education to:

Discuss how language and framing are evolving in this work.
Share approaches to identifying and describing learners in ways that are accurate, respectful, and responsive to current directives.
Consider strategies for advancing engagement & opportunity while navigating new expectations.

The session is designed as an open, collegial conversation to exchange ideas and resources in a supportive peer community.

Click here to download a calendar invite

January 21, 2026 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET

Webinar | Online Education Goes Global: Navigating Policy and Legal Issues for Enrolling Internationally-Located Students

Hosted by the UPCEA Policy Committee

As on-campus international student enrollment in US-based programs declines amid shifting federal policies, universities are increasingly exploring online programs as a pathway to serve globally-distributed learners. Join us for a comprehensive webinar examining the critical policy and legal considerations institutions must address when expanding online programs to internationally-located students. This session will highlight the complex web of regulatory compliance issues and equip administrators, faculty, and policy makers with essential guidance to navigate the legal, regulatory, and operational issues in serving international students online. Discover best practices for compliance strategies, risk mitigation approaches, and sustainable methods for international online program delivery while maintaining institutional integrity and student success.

Presenters:

Patty Milner, University of Arkansas
Amy L. White, University of Arkansas
Corina Caraccioli, Louisiana State University

Moderator: Amy Collier, Middlebury

January 27, 2026 | 3:00 PM-4:00 PM ET

Coffee Chat | The Operational Side of Credential Innovation: Finances and Organizational Structure

Hosted by the Credential Innovation Network

Join us for the third session in our coffee chat series for those new to the credential innovation space. Building on our previous conversations, this chat will focus on the ways that we can explore business goals and models as well as how to justify your worth, whether monetarily or with success metrics. If business is one of the many hats you wear, whether or not it’s your background, this conversation is for you.

Click here to access the room at 3PM on January 27 or download our calendar invite below.

Click here to download a calendar invite

Click here to view past webinar recordings