Workforce Pell Is Here and Data Readiness Is the Real Test for Credential Innovation
The expansion of Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, non-degree programs—commonly known as Workforce Pell—has become a defining moment for credential innovation. In a strategic conversation hosted by UPCEA in December 2025, higher education leaders made one thing clear: access to Workforce Pell is not primarily a policy challenge. It is a data challenge. As institutions…
Reduced-Credit Degrees: Leading with Learners While Preparing for Disruption
As questions about the value, cost, and structure of a traditional bachelor’s degree continue to intensify, higher education leaders are confronting a reality that has remained largely unchanged for decades: the 120-credit-hour degree is more a historical artifact than a learner-centered design choice. During a recent conversation with UPCEA Institutional Representatives, panelists and participants explored…
Workforce Pell Grants: Primer and Update from Negotiated Rulemaking | Policy Matters (December 2025)
Major Updates Workforce Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs: A Primer and Update from Negotiated Rulemaking: Consensus Reached – What’s in the Draft Regulations We’ve developed a blog that provides a primer and overview of the recent negotiated rulemaking work on Workforce Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs, focusing on the first week of sessions held by…
Workforce Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs: A Primer and Update from Negotiated Rulemaking: Consensus Reached – What’s in the Draft Regulations
What Online and Professional Continuing Higher Education Leaders Should Know In early December, the Department of Education kicked off negotiated rulemaking with the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) committee, focusing most of its efforts in the first week on new Workforce Pell regulations and loss of Pell eligibility as…
UPCEA Welcomes New Board and Committee Members for 2026 Terms
WASHINGTON, December 12, 2025 – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is pleased to announce the election of new officers and new directors to serve on the UPCEA Board of Directors. Elected in November, these individuals will assume their roles at the conclusion of the 2026 UPCEA Annual Conference in New Orleans, La. on…
UPCEA Releases 2026 Predictions for Higher Education
Report highlights the accelerating transformation of higher education, from AI-driven infrastructure to lifelong learning pathways. WASHINGTON (Dec. 8, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its “Predictions 2026: Insights for Online & Professional Education.” This year’s report brings together expert perspectives from across the association to examine the…
UPCEA Announces Release of New Secret Shopper Benchmarking Study at UPCEA MEMS 2025
Findings unveiled during the conference’s closing keynote reveal major gaps and opportunities in enrollment responsiveness. WASHINGTON and BOSTON (Dec. 4, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its newest research report, Enrollment Process Review: Secret Shopper Analysis, during the closing session at the 2025 UPCEA Marketing, Enrollment Management,…
Reflecting on the 2025 UPCEA CCI Convening: Designing Intentional, Learner-Centric Pathways
At the inaugural UPCEA Council for Credential Innovation (CCI) Convening, leaders from across UPCEA member institutions came together to explore what it means to build truly learner-centric, intentional credential ecosystems—ones that align with institutional mission, ensure financial sustainability, and elevate the student experience. Hosted as the first in-person gathering of CCI representatives, the event served…
Professional, Continuing, and Online Education Update by UPCEA
- Howard Updates AI Curriculum to Align With Workforce - Government Technology
- Humanities cuts leave us defenceless in the age of AI - Agnieszka Piotrowska, Time Higher Ed
- The US wants more apprenticeships. The UK figured out how to make them coveted roles - Kelly Field, Hechinger Report
- Trump Admin. Touts 8,000 Student Visas Revoked - Johanna Alonso, Inside Higher Ed
- Artificial intelligence at the University of Hawaiʻi: ASAP! - Janis Magin, Hawaiʻi Public Radio
- AI on Campus: Rethinking the Core Goals of Higher Education - Abby Sourwine, GovTech
- Navigating Higher Ed’s Digital Shift as a Technophobe - Robert Ubell, Evolllution
- AI Agents in Higher Education: Transforming Student Services and Support - Tom Mangan, EdTech
- Evaluating Recent Advances in Affective Intelligent Tutoring Systems: A Scoping Review of Educational Impacts and Future Prospects - Jorge Fernández-Herrero, Journal of Education Sciences, MDPI
- Here are 4 ways AI will impact higher ed in the new year - Alcino Donadel, University Business
Get Involved with UPCEA
Professional development isn't just about attending sessions. Get involved with UPCEA to meet members from other institutions, share the great work your institution is doing, and hone your own skills. From submitting a session proposal for a conference or an article for a publication to serving as a volunteer on a conference planning committee, there are as many ways to engage with us!
