UPCEA Updates

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

Alternative credentials in higher education have a champion (EdScoop)

By UPCEA | August 25, 2021

A leading higher education association is setting its sights on alternative credentials, on Tuesday launching two new groups to simplify the process for institutions looking to implement more short-term programs. The University for Professional and Continuing Education Association announced a council, composed of campus leadership drawn from its more than 400 member institutions, to lead…

UPCEA Establishes Hub for Credential Innovation with New Council for Credential Innovation and Alternative Credentials Network

UPCEA Establishes Hub for Credential Innovation with New Council for Credential Innovation and Alternative Credentials Network

By UPCEA | August 24, 2021

Dedicated community will deliver strategic and practical guidance for postsecondary professionals involved in the design, development, and delivery of alternative credentials, intended to align higher education programming with the needs of learners and the labor market.   WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 24, 2021) –  Alternative and non-degree credentials continue to gain relevance and traction with students…

UPCEA Seeks Nominations for 2022 Leadership Positions

By UPCEA | August 2, 2021

The UPCEA Governance and Nominations Committee invites nominations for the following positions: Board positions: Board President-Elect 2022-2023, serving as the Board President in 2023-2024 Secretary-Treasurer, 2022-2024 Network Senate Chair, 2022-2024 Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Committee Co-Chair (2022-2024) Board Director At-Large (7), 2022-2024 Non-Board Positions: Finance Committee members (2), 2022-2023 Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Committee members…

Falling Gracefully Into Fall Semester

By UPCEA | July 27, 2021

August is fast-approaching. We look in the rearview and wonder, “Where did summer go?”.  We start bringing ourselves to terms with the reality that the lofty project list we created at the start of summer is going to end the season with some (and maybe many) boxes left unchecked.  This transitionary time from summer to…

92% of Higher Education Leaders Say Microcredentials Support Institutional Competitiveness New study from UPCEA and Modern Campus

92% of Higher Education Leaders Say Microcredentials Support Institutional Competitiveness

By UPCEA | July 20, 2021

New study from UPCEA and Modern Campus highlights the opportunity for colleges and universities to improve enrollments and student workforce readiness TORONTO and WASHINGTON, D.C., July 20, 2021 — Higher education leaders across North America are citing the value of alternative and microcredentials to support competitiveness and enrollment growth, according to a survey conducted by…

The Benefits of Higher-Order Multiple-Choice Tests (Inside Higher Ed)

By UPCEA | June 24, 2021

In an excellent column, Ray Schroeder, senior fellow for the Association of Leaders in Online and Professional Education, laments the tendency for many instructors to rely on text-specific test banks as source material for student assessment. Not only are these inquiries susceptible to cheating, he says, they assess lower-order, nonlocalized and therefore less relevant knowledge like…

Announcing the Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO)! The body for senior leaders charged with driving online strategy at the unit or campus level

UPCEA Announces New Leadership and Name for Chief Online Learning Officer Group

By UPCEA | June 23, 2021

Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO) is the body for senior leaders charged with driving online strategy at the unit or campus level WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 23, 2021) — UPCEA, the association for college and university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, announced today that its body for chief online learning officers is…

Could a quantum leap someday aid ethical AI? (Pew Research Center)

By UPCEA | June 17, 2021

As they considered the potential evolution of ethical AI design, the people responding to this canvassing were given the opportunity to speculate as to whether quantum computing (QC), which is still in its early days of development, might somehow be employed in the future in support of  the development of ethical AI systems. […] Ray Schroeder, associate vice…

Other Blogs and News:

International-Student Crackdown Escalates; UPCEA Joins Opposition to Broad Changes | Policy Matters (May 2025)

Major Updates International-Student Crackdown Escalates | UPCEA Joins Opposition to Broad Changes After weeks of public sparring, the Department of Homeland Security formally revoked Harvard’s authority to host F-1 and J-1 students on May 22, citing non-compliance with new federal demands around campus protests and DEI programs. More than 6,800 students, about a quarter of Harvard’s…

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Why Credential Terminology Matters in Higher Education and Workforce Development

In the fast-evolving landscape of higher education and workforce alignment, non-degree credentials are surging in popularity. This trend is largely a result of baccalaureate degrees that are not adapting quickly to address more immediate market needs, coupled with a skepticism about the value of the degree. In place of bachelor’s degrees, students are seeking more…

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Microcredentials, Modularity, and Mission: Insights from UPCEA’s Coffee Chat on Innovation in Healthcare Education

In partnership with the HELIX Summit on Continuing Medical Education  How are institutions navigating the dynamic intersection of workforce demands, digital learning, and credentialing innovation—especially in healthcare? That’s exactly what we explored in a recent Coffee Chat, where UPCEA leaders from across the higher education landscape gathered for an unrecorded but powerfully candid conversation on…

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Leading with Values-Based Influence in Higher Education

Why Values-Based Influence Matters Now  Higher education is undergoing seismic shifts—demographic changes, budget constraints, AI disruption, and questions of relevance. In this environment, how we lead and why we lead matters as much as what we do as leaders. Leaders who operate from a strong internal compass—those grounded in values—offer clarity, stability, and hope.  Values-based…

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Accreditation + Skill-Based Learning Addressed in New Executive Orders | Policy Matters (April 2025)

Major Updates Accreditation, Foreign Support, Skill-Based Learning Addressed in New Trump Executive Orders The Trump administration has continued issuing an unprecedented number of executive orders with recent directives directly impacting colleges and universities, addressing topics like accreditation reform, foreign influence, skills-based learning (including alternative credentials), and support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Two…

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Online education booms in an era of lifelong learning (WorkingNation)

‘Strictly online institutions tend to serve working-age or older adults requiring flexible schedules constructed around family obligations and work. “Folks arrive at higher ed for a multitude of reasons,” says Julie Uranis, senior vice president of online and strategic initiatives for UPCEA (the Online and Professional Education Association), a resource for online university programs. “Online learning gives them…

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