We are now simply "UPCEA" (no longer known as the University Professional and Continuing Education Association). Learn more.
The Online and Professional Education Association
Serving adult higher education units at the leading universities and colleges across the field.
UPCEA is the online and professional education association.
We are the premier professional learning community in education, and our members are continuously reinventing higher education, positively impacting millions of lives. As a leading higher education association, we lead and support them through research, networking, mentorship, conferences, seminars, and advocacy. We also bring together leaders in education, industry, research, and policy to elevate educational access and outcomes. Our focus on online, professional and continuing education helps advance their goals and foster innovation in the field.
Learn more about UPCEA's focus areas:
Why Leaders Choose UPCEA
As a leading professional learning community in education, UPCEA serves its members and advances leadership in online and professional continuing education with innovative conferences and specialty seminars, research and benchmarking information, professional networking opportunities and timely publications.
Focus & Expertise: We’re exclusively focused on advancing online and professional continuing education, and our leaders have experience as senior administrators in these areas. Our role as a national association enhances our ability to support this development of professional education.
Breadth of Knowledge: We are the only association of current and future leaders in online and professional continuing education, with an extremely diverse member base, giving us unparalleled insights and credibility. Our focus on professional development ensures that our members stay at the forefront of industry trends.
Collaborative Member Community: Our members are highly engaged and actively seek opportunities to collaborate, sharing challenges and solutions with one another via our community platforms, events and facilitated discussions.
Entrepreneurial Environment: We are a hub for program and business model innovation in online, professional and continuing education. By supporting our members in all phases, from ideation to operational excellence, we enhance their ability to drive forward-thinking solutions within the field.
Integrated Solutions Marketplace: We engage industry leading solution providers as members, versus treating them simply as exhibitors and sponsors, resulting in a culture of partnership and sharing that benefits everyone involved. Our approach underscores how higher education associations can drive innovation and value.
UPCEA Highlights & Announcements
Conferences & Events
Connect with and learn from high-level leaders and colleagues at UPCEA conferences, seminars, webinars and other events.
MARCH 24-26, 2025
2025 UPCEA Annual Conference
Denver, CO
JULY 22-24, 2025
2025 UPCEA SOLAR: Summit for Online Leadership and Administration
Portland, OR
MULTIPLE DATES
UPCEA Regional Salons
Virtual
Free for UPCEA Members
SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1, 2025
2025 Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education
Washington, DC
Actionable Research & Benchmarking
Today’s leaders in professional, continuing and online education turn to UPCEA Research and Consulting for their actionable benchmarking and consulting needs. This provides industry-wide research for UPCEA members, and offers contract market research, benchmarking studies, and custom data exploration at member rates far below industry average.
UPCEA Certificate Programs & Courses
Get the essential skills and knowledge you and your team need from the leading experts in the field. UPCEA's Online Professional Development Certificates and Courses offer high-value and relevant content for practitioners at all levels, as well as engagement with peers from across the field to strengthen your breadth of knowledge and skills.
News & Blogs
Aligning the Liberal Arts Degree to STEM and Gen Z (April 27, 2018)
Read More...April eDesign Exchange: Fool’s Errand (April 24, 2018)
Read More...What Current UPCEA Members Are Saying
"This is going to sound hyperbolic, but my membership in UPCEA has been paramount to the success of the higher education institutions I’ve served. Simply put, the research, resources, workshops, conferences, and professional connections have helped guide my long-term strategic plans and short-term operational approaches. UPCEA membership is a professional “requirement” if you’re in this ever-evolving field and want to advance educational access and equity. That’s on the professional front. On the personal front, I’ve made lifelong friends out of lifelong colleagues, and the annual gatherings of higher education mavericks should not be missed."
Robert Bruce, Dean
Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, Rice University
"I have not been part of another organization that can so quickly and easily
connect you with seasoned professionals and growth opportunities."
Kristin Hrynczuk, Instructional Technology Specialist
Western Michigan University
"The UPCEA membership, without question, has been the best return on investment for our institution."
Pamela Wimbush, Dean, College of Continuing Education (Interim)
Sacramento State
"I continue to find the collaborative spaces in UPCEA extremely rewarding and hope to keep locating new ways to leverage my skills and grow in the organization."
Matt DiPirro, Associate Dean, Liberal Arts
Southern New Hampshire University
"The UPCEA membership benefits that have been invaluable to me are the professional development resources, the benchmarking resources and the UPCEA Hallmarks of Excellence."
Dr. Tonya Amankwatia, Assistant Vice Provost of Distance Education & Extended Learning
North Carolina A&T State University
"UPCEA is the one place where I know I have a network of colleagues who are...willing to share their expertise and experience."
Christina Trombley, Ph.D., Executive Director of Drake Online and Continuing Education
Drake University
"While the field of online and professional education becomes increasingly competitive, UPCEA has maintained its collaborative, entrepreneurial environment, providing endless opportunities for learning and sharing with colleagues across institutions. From conferences, to webinars, to casual conversations, the UPCEA community has been a resource to me and my staff for ideas, innovations, and new perspectives. Together, we've advanced the field of professional education."
Thomas F. Gibbons, Dean
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies
"For our employees, UPCEA is the key to career professional development and networking in Online and Continuing Education."
Rovy Branon, Vice Provost
Continuum College, University of Washington
"All community colleges and universities would benefit from the expertise in online learning that UPCEA staff and members possess."
Barbara Kopp Miller, Ph.D., Dean and Professor
University of Toledo
“UPCEA has been an incredible resource for our whole division at UW-Whitewater. Our members have brought back many actionable ideas from the main conference, MEMS, DT&L, and Convergence! The online professional development has also been targeted, relevant, and accessible for our staff.”
Matthew E. Vick, Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education
University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
“Our team is discovering what a great resource the UPCEA network is, and everyone is becoming a fan! We look forward to our collaboration in the years ahead."
Charles Iacovou, Dean of the School of Professional Studies
Wake Forest University
"We are an institutional member of UPCEA based in Ontario, Canada and I can honestly say that UPCEA has been one of the most valuable networks I have ever had the privilege of being a part of."
Alison Darling, Director, Professional Programs
Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre (IRC)
"Having these resources and sharing best practices helped us navigate through what will forever be considered the new normal."
Mili Maldonado Agusty, Executive Director
Sagrado Global School of Professional Studies, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, San Juan, Puerto Rico
"The esprit de corps exhibited by UPCEA staff and members is second to none."
J. Kim McNutt, Dean-College of Continuing and Professional Education
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Want to Learn More?
Contact Us!
To learn more about how UPCEA can help you and your organization navigate the vastly changing landscape of online and professional continuing education please complete this form or email us at [email protected]
Our Partners
Click here to learn more about our industry partners.
Interested in Corporate Partnership or Membership? Click here to learn more.