UPCEA Updates

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

UPCEA Congratulates Members Recognized in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Ranking of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs

By UPCEA | February 20, 2024

21 of Top 25 Ranked Institutions are UPCEA Members WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 20, 2024) — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is pleased to congratulate the many UPCEA members recognized in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings. U.S. News rankings include more than 1,750 online programs, covering bachelor’s and…

UPCEA Announces 2024 Association Award Recipients

By UPCEA | February 2, 2024

8 Individuals and 8 Programs Receive Association’s Highest Honors WASHINGTON, February 2, 2024 – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, has announced the recipients of the 2024 Association Awards. The UPCEA Association Awards program includes recognition of both individual and institutional achievement across the UPCEA membership. Since 1953, UPCEA has recognized its members’ outstanding…

The Edge: Missed opportunities in nondegree credentials (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

By UPCEA | February 1, 2024

The untapped possibilities of nondegree credentials Employers have a strong interest in partnering with colleges to design and deliver nondegree programs. Yet more than 45 percent of employers in a recent survey said colleges had never approached them to do so. That’s one finding from a new report by UPCEA, the online and professional education association,…

How institutions are leaving money on the table with their alternative credential offerings (University Business)

By UPCEA | January 24, 2024

Alternative non-degree credentials are slowly becoming higher education’s hottest learning modality. Enrollment is strong and employer buy-in is promising. However, two reports from UPCEA demonstrate that despite institutions’ increased infrastructure to provide these academic programs, challenges persist—and they’re leaving money on the table as a result. In a December 2023 report that studied nearly 100 UPCEA members representing institutions focused…

Microcredentials on the Rise, but Not at Colleges (Inside Higher Ed)

By UPCEA | January 24, 2024

As the pool of traditional-age students shrinks, colleges are increasingly turning to nondegree credentials to expand the appeal of their academic offerings to working adults. At the same time, an increasing number of employers want their employees to be able to upskill and reskill through microcredential programs. But four-year institutions are lagging behind third-party providers, such as LinkedIn…

Employers Partnering to Provide Microcredential and Training Programs on the Rise, New Study From UPCEA and Collegis Education Reveals

By UPCEA | January 23, 2024

Opportunities are growing, but higher ed institutions are losing ground to private providers WASHINGTON, DC (January 23, 2024) — Companies partnering externally to provide training or professional development to employees increased by 26 percent (nearly 15 percentage points) between 2022 and 2023, according to a new study released today by Collegis Education and UPCEA, the…

Short-Term Credentials Are Booming in Texas. Are Employers Hiring? (Work Shift)

By UPCEA | January 12, 2024

In Texas, money is flowing for short-term credentials. The state’s new funding formula, signed by the governor in June, is allocating dollars to community colleges in part based on how many credentials of value they award.  It would appear that there is no better time to invest in alternative credentials. Interest rates on student loans…

Report: Microcredentials Not a Strategic Priority for Many Colleges (Inside Higher Ed)

By UPCEA | January 10, 2024

While the majority of colleges focused on online, professional and continuing education have embraced alternative credentials, a significant number of those institutions haven’t made them a strategic priority. That’s one of the key takeaways from a new study released Monday by UPCEA, the online and professional education association.  “While a lot of institutions want this, they…

Other Blogs and News:

Member Benefits You’ll Use Immediately (Not “Nice to Have”)

Joining a professional association should deliver tangible benefits right away — not just perks that look good on paper. For leaders in online and professional continuing education, the difference lies in benefits that solve real-world challenges, such as training teams quickly, validating budget decisions, troubleshooting with peers, and aligning strategy with emerging trends.  The most…

UPCEA Announces 2026-2027 Leadership Team for Council for Credential Innovation

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces the 2026-2027 leadership team for the Council for Credential Innovation (CCI). The association extends its gratitude to the 21 member volunteers serving in leadership roles for this body. The Council for Credential Innovation (CCI) and its members focus on leveraging the strategic potential of non-degree credentials, workforce-focused…

From Experimentation to Institutional AI: Early Lessons from UPCEA’s AI Study Groups

Across higher education, the conversation about artificial intelligence has moved rapidly from curiosity to consequence. Institutions are no longer asking only whether AI will affect their work; they are asking how to lead through that change responsibly, strategically, and in ways that advance mission.  That shift is at the center of UPCEA’s AI Study Groups,…

The Affordability Opportunity: Why Adult Learners Are Missing Out on Aid and How We Can Fix It

As leaders in online and professional continuing education, we often find ourselves at the intersection of hope and pragmatism. We see the transformative power of a postsecondary credential for an adult balancing career and family. Yet, we also hear a recurring, disheartening refrain from prospective students: “I simply can’t afford it.” There’s a persistent myth…

UPCEA Releases Guidebook on Employer Engagement and Credential Innovation

New resource provides practical frameworks and tools to help institutions strengthen workforce-aligned credential strategies WASHINGTON (June 2, 2026) — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today released a new guidebook designed to help colleges and universities strengthen employer partnerships and build institutional capacity for workforce-aligned credential innovation. Developed through a multi-year grant-funded initiative, Expanding…

Workforce Pell Final Regulations Released: What Changed from the Proposed Rule | Policy Matters (May 2026)

Major Updates Workforce Pell Final Regulations Released: What Changed from the Proposed Rule The Department of Education has released the final rule on Workforce Pell Grants and the new Pell Grant exclusion for students whose non-Federal grant and scholarship aid meets or exceeds their cost of attendance. The Department reviewed approximately 440 comments but, in…