UPCEA Updates

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

2023 UPCEA MEMS Award Recipients Announced

By UPCEA | October 20, 2023

21 Recipients Chosen For Three Award Categories WASHINGTON, D.C., October 20, 2023 — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, has announced the recipients of the 2023 Excellence in Enrollment Management Award, the Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness in Marketing, Enrollment, and Student Success Award, and the Excellence in Marketing Award.  All three awards…

UPCEA Announces Selection of Credential Innovation Consortium Members

By UPCEA | October 11, 2023

10 institutions selected for grant-funded pilot consortium WASHINGTON (October 11, 2023) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is thrilled to announce the selection of ten institutions to be part of a small pilot consortium fueled by UPCEA’s “Building Capacity, Expanding Pathways: Accelerating the Growth of Credential Innovation in Higher Education” project. The project…

Advisory Boards Aid in Alleviating AI Anxiety (Inside Higher Ed)

By UPCEA | September 29, 2023

When it comes to artificial intelligence and higher ed, the excitement and hype are matched by the uncertainties and need for guidance. One solution: creating an AI advisory board that brings together students, faculty and staff for open conversations about the new technology. That was a key idea presented at the University of Central Florida’s…

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 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…

Other Blogs and News:

Federal Grant Opportunities: Funding for Workforce Pell Programs and AI | Policy Matters (November 2025)

Major Updates Federal Grant Opportunities: Funding for Workforce Pell Programs and AI (Applications Due December 3) The Department of Education has launched a rapid grant competition under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE–Special Projects), with applications due December 3, 2025. The program is designed in part to help institutions build or scale…

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Constructing the Future: Why Credential Innovation Needs Bold Leadership

The tagline for Convergence, Credential Innovation in Higher Education, raises two important questions: First, what kind of credentials are we talking about?  Is the scope of credentials unlimited, blue sky, or confined to incremental changes on the margins of the status quo?  And second, who is leading that innovation, and what do they need to…

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Learning Mobility in Action: Removing Barriers and Recognizing the Whole Learner

Learning Mobility: A Movement Taking Shape At this year’s AACRAO Technology & Transfer: A Learning Mobility Summit, higher education leaders from UPCEA member institutions gathered to explore a question at the heart of the learner mobility movement: How can postsecondary institutions recognize, record, and reward all learning—wherever and however it occurs? Moderating this conversation alongside…

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Convergence in Action: Building Strategic Credential Frameworks Through Collaboration

At Convergence 2025, a conversation unfolded that perfectly captured the spirit of the event—collaboration across boundaries, disciplines, and traditions to create something more unified and learner-centered. In Convergence in Action: Strategic Credential Framework Collaborations Across Campus, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel featuring Elizabeth Kerr and Molly McDermott-Fallon of the University of Cincinnati…

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Don’t Bring a Brochure to a Robot Fight: Winning Page One and the AI Overview

Imagine your bellwether program stepping into a modern search arena with a glossy tri-fold and a storied reputation, ready to battle any challenger. Across the ring rolls a robotic rival as “The Imperial March” blares over the speakers. The ref signals start; a blinding spotlight from the robot makes your program vanish from view. The…

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Friday Focus: Nurture Your Career and Yourself

In celebration of National Distance Learning Week, UPCEA is highlighting key resources each day that showcase how online and professional education leaders continue to drive innovation, resilience, and transformation. It’s Friday—a perfect moment to pause, take a breath, and focus on you. Your career, your growth, and your well-being all deserve attention. UPCEA offers ways…

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