UPCEA Updates

Your one-stop shop for the latest Association happenings, plus thoughts from the desk of CEO Bob Hansen.

University of Texas System Bets Big on Microcredentials (Inside Higher Ed)

By UPCEA | September 14, 2023

As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas. And now going big applies to microcredentials. The University of Texas System, spanning nine academic campuses with roughly 240,000 students, is expanding its partnership with microcredential provider Coursera. The initiative announced last month is Coursera’s largest, aiming to reach 30,000 students with 35 courses by 2025.…

UPCEA’s Research and Consulting Group Grows, Welcomes Stacy Chiaramonte, and Offers Exciting Career Opportunity

By UPCEA | September 8, 2023

UPCEA Research and Consulting is Growing: As a leader in Professional, Continuing, and Online (PCO) education, UPCEA’s Research and Consulting group continues to expand, aligning with the evolving needs of higher education institutions. Our industry experts bring years of experience to provide unparalleled value in the industry. Welcome Stacy Chiaramonte: UPCEA proudly welcomes Stacy Chiaramonte…

Listen to Derek Bruff’s Intentional Teaching podcast, now sponsored by UPCEA!

By UPCEA | August 31, 2023

UPCEA is excited to announce that we are now sponsoring the Intentional Teaching podcast hosted by Derek Bruff. Derek is an educator, author, and higher ed consultant. He directed the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching for more than a decade, where he helped faculty and other instructors develop foundational teaching skills and explore new ideas…

UPCEA Announces 2023 Diversity in Leadership Scholars

By UPCEA | August 30, 2023

UPCEA is pleased to announce the 2023 cohort of Bethaida “Bea” González Diversity in Leadership Scholars.  Representative and diverse leadership is a cornerstone of UPCEA’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusive Excellence. The goal of the Diversity Scholars program is to equip diverse professionals at any stage of their career with the skills and knowledge needed…

UPCEA Receives Grant from Walmart to Accelerate Growth of Credential Innovation in Higher Education

By UPCEA | August 21, 2023

Significant grant will build capacity in higher ed for industry and learning ecosystem WASHINGTON (August 21, 2023) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is honored to receive a $395,000 grant from Walmart to accelerate work in the alternative credentials space with a project titled, “Building Capacity, Expanding Pathways: Accelerating the Growth of Credential…

Highlights from The Distance Teaching & Learning (DT&L) conference and Summit for Online Leadership and Administration + Roundtable (SOLA+R)

By UPCEA | August 7, 2023

The Distance Teaching & Learning (DT&L) conference and Summit for Online Leadership and Administration + Roundtable (SOLA+R) held July 25-27, 2023 in Madison, Wisconsin was a great success, with more than 400 onsite attendees and nearly 200 virtual attendees. In case you missed it, we wanted to share some of the highlights from the conference: On…

UPCEA Recognizes the 2023 Distance Teaching & Learning Conference and Summit for Online Leadership and Administration Award Recipients

By UPCEA | July 26, 2023

6 Individuals Receive Honors MADISON, WI (July 26, 2023) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is pleased to recognize the recipients of this year’s awards, presented at the Distance Teaching & Learning (DT&L) Conference and Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLA+R).  Award recipients were honored today at the DT&L and SOLA+R conference…

New Research from UPCEA, AACRAO, and Modern Campus Shows Barriers Affecting Effective Collaboration between Academic Registrars and PCE Units

By UPCEA | July 24, 2023

Benchmark Survey Addresses Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Professional and Continuing Education Units and Traditional Academic Programs  Washington, DC (July 24, 2023) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), and Modern Campus recently partnered on a survey of their respective undergraduate-serving institutional members in…

Other Blogs and News:

UPCEA’s 2025 Online Education Benchmarking Report Provides Vital Data for University Leaders

Second annual study provides new KPI benchmarks around enrollments, finance, and budget, explores the impact of AI, and provides strategic recommendations for online leaders to thrive in these uncertain times.  WASHINGTON, D.C., ISSUED AUGUST 12, 2025…UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of a new research report, “Benchmarking Online Enterprises: Insights…

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How to Build Strong Employer Partnerships to Support Student Success

Now, possibly more than ever, it is critically important for colleges and universities to engage with employers for the benefit of our students. Higher education is facing an unprecedented time. The demographic cliff is upon us, the current political environment has led to policy whiplash and has upended funding sources for research. Our campuses have…

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Artificial Intelligence is Non-Negotiable for Higher Education Marketing and Enrollment Management

Why Institutional Leaders Can No Longer Afford to Wait on AI adoption The clock is ticking for higher education institutions that haven’t fully embraced AI. What was once an experimental advantage in marketing and enrollment has quickly become an urgent necessity. AI has firmly established itself as an operational imperative across diverse industries, with the…

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Congress Passes President Trump’s OBBB—Workforce Pell Included, but Higher Ed Gets $300 Billion Slash | Policy Matters (July 2025)

Major Updates Congress Passes President Trump’s OBBB—Workforce Pell Included, but Higher Ed Gets $300 Billion Slash President Trump’s newly signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) overhauls the federal approach to higher education policy. Short-term Pell advocates (of which UPCEA has been a long supporter) have something to be thankful for, as it opens Workforce…

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Synchronizing Pathways: Advancing the National Dialogue on Credentials and Learning Mobility

Incubator grant supports critical work to align data practices and learning mobility frameworks to benefit today’s learners WASHINGTON July 31, 2025 – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, has launched a national initiative to advance credential transparency and learner mobility through improved data quality and institutional capacity-building. The project titled, “Synchronizing Pathways: Expanding Institutional…

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Accelerating Institutional Capacity for Employer Engagement in Credential Innovation

As the future of work rapidly evolves, higher education institutions must accelerate their capacity to engage with employers—building bridges between learning and labor market relevance. At UPCEA, with support from Walmart, the world’s largest employer, we’ve undertaken two major initiatives to strengthen these bridges. The first project provided foundational benchmarking data, a practical playbook, and…

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