The Pulse of Higher Ed

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

[Snap Poll Results] Outsourcing and PCO Units

As the U.S. economy shows signs of emerging from the pandemic, colleges and universities are making decisions about the fall. Professional, continuing and online (PCO) education units also need to make decisions about new programs they were planning to launch pre-pandemic, systems they had budgeted for upgrade, and staffing that they may have postponed. It was clear that PCO units were invaluable to their institutions during the pandemic as can be seen in UPCEA’s February 2021 snap poll where 70% of units surveyed said that they were viewed as much more valuable or more valuable to their institutions. This, coupled with the support provided by strategic outsource partners, was critical.

April’s snap poll showed that almost two-thirds of those surveyed had an outsource partner of any function and of this group, many were using them for marketing, instructional design or enrollment management. One-in-six said they were using them more often as a result of the pandemic, while 81% said there was no change (which suggests a more long-term view beyond the pandemic). Forty-two percent of those outsourcing also said that their corporate partnership was more valuable as a result of the pandemic. The big takeaway is that PCO units were essential for their institutions to ride out the pandemic and outsource relationships helped many institutions to survive, thrive, or maintain a sense of normalcy regarding offering educational opportunities.

With the dust settling and the future become a little more predictable, PCO units now need to reflect on:

  1. How do they continue to leverage the relationships they created centrally and university/college-wide,
  2. Can they build bridges between PCO programs and traditional or centralized programs,
  3. What elements of the PCO portfolio are stronger or weaker for a new economy,
  4. What programs or changes to existing programs need to happen for a new economy (new credentials, badges, etc.?), and
  5. Given the race to online and proliferation of online degrees, what does the institution and the PCO unit need to do differently (i.e. more educational on-ramps or off-ramps, pathways, marketing, etc.)?

See the full results of the snap poll here.

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.

Learn more about UPCEA Research & Consulting


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

Foreword by Bob Hansen Featured in The COLO Guidebook

We are pleased to share the foreword by UPCEA CEO Bob Hansen from the newly released Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education. The guidebook, now available from Routledge in paperback, hardback, and eBook formats, provides a comprehensive framework for today’s online learning leaders. Learn more and purchase…

Read More

The Compensation Compass: Navigating Professional Value with the 2024 UPCEA Salary Survey

If you’ve ever set out on a hike without a map and compass, you know the feeling: creeping uncertainty about whether you’re still on the trail, how far you’ve come, and how far you have to go. In 2017, when I was walking from Mexico to Canada, the snow level in the Sierra Mountains was…

Read More

International Student Visa Review Resumes, Social Media Vetting Instituted | Policy Matters (June 2025)

Major Updates Trump Administration Resumes Embassy Review on Student Visas, Implements Social Media Vetting Requirements The Trump Administration has lifted its pause on F‑, M‑, and J‑visa processing but simultaneously unleashed sweeping new social-media vetting requirements: all international student applicants must now make their Facebook, X, Instagram and other accounts public for consular review, with…

Read More

UPCEA Announces Updates to Board of Directors

June 25, 2025 – WASHINGTON — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces recent updates to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Susan Seal, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies at Mississippi State University, has been appointed to serve as a Director At-Large, filling the remainder of the 2025–2026 term…

Read More

Results of Global Lifelong Learning Study Released

UPCEA supported the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL)’s comprehensive global study. WASHINGTON (June 18, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of an international study, “Making lifelong learning central to university strategy,” conducted by the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) and CarringtonCrisp.  UPCEA (alongside EUCEN) is proud…

Read More

New Book Offers Strategic Blueprint for the Decade of the Chief Online Learning Officer

UPCEA and Routledge Publish Landmark Guide to Elevating Online Education Leadership WASHINGTON (June 17, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, proudly announces the release of The Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education (co-published with Routledge). This essential new volume, co-edited by two of the…

Read More

The Nation's Top Universities Choose UPCEA Research and Consulting

Informed decisions. Ideas that work. The data you need. Trusted by the top universities in the nation.