UPCEA Updates

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

UPCEA Seeks VP of Finance & Administration

By UPCEA | July 23, 2020

UPCEA is currently seeking a Vice President of Finance & Administration for a fully remote position. I am turning to the UPCEA community for help in filling this spot on our team at headquarters. If you know anyone in the finance and accounting areas of the non-profit or higher education sectors who might be interested…

Experts Predict More Digital Innovation by 2030 Aimed at Enhancing Democracy (Pew Research Center Internet & Technology)

By UPCEA | June 30, 2020

“Americans and many around the world are not terribly satisfied with the state of democracy and the institutions that undergird it. Experts who were canvassed about the relationship between people’s technology use and democracy also expressed serious concerns about how things will unfold in the next decade. […] Ray Schroeder, associate vice chancellor of online learning at the University…

UPCEA Partners with LX Pathways by iDesign

By UPCEA | May 22, 2020

We’ve partnered to help you increase capacity around instructional design Do you need to increase your team’s capacity around instructional design? Would you like to add instructional design to your skillset? Great news! UPCEA has recently partnered with iDesign to offer even more online professional development through iDesign’s self-paced learning opportunities, LX Pathways. Our partnership…

Just Released: UPCEA Hallmarks of Excellence in Credential Innovation

By UPCEA | May 20, 2020

Over the past five years UPCEA has published two Hallmarks of Excellence frameworks, first in Online Leadership and then Professional and Continuing Education. These quality frameworks have been endorsed and used by countless organizations and institutions as they evaluate, enhance, and sometimes even build professional, continuing, and online enterprises. Today, I am so pleased to…

Colleges Show Great Interest in Alternative Credentials But Weak Follow-Through (Campus Technology)

By UPCEA | May 16, 2020

No matter what type of alternative credential students are earning, most institutions don’t retain official information about it. In a recent survey, just a third of institutions (38 percent) that offer alternative credentials said they allow those to be represented on students’ university records. Nearly half (48 percent) said they weren’t in student records; and…

Major Announcement: Introducing online professional development from UPCEA

By UPCEA | May 13, 2020

I am pleased to share a major announcement today regarding a profession that is indispensable to the future of higher education. The field of Professional, Continuing, and Online Education (PCO) has truly come of age in the 21st century – and our importance and sophistication continues to expand exponentially as our members play an increasingly…

Look no further for your benchmarking and research needs

By UPCEA | May 4, 2020

Today I’m writing to shine a light on UPCEA’s best kept secret: the Center for Research and Strategy led by Jim Fong and featuring some of the best consultants in the industry. The Center provides actionable research and benchmarking free of charge for all members; and high value custom consulting across the entire spectrum of…

Digital Learning Pulse Survey: 90% of U.S. Higher Ed Institutions Used Emergency Distance Education to Complete Spring 2020 Term

By UPCEA | April 23, 2020

The survey of higher education’s immediate priorities related to the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted April 6-19 by Bay View Analytics on behalf of OLC, WCET, UPCEA, CDLRA and Every Learner Everywhere, and underwritten by Cengage; findings will be discussed in a webinar, this Friday, April 24. APRIL 22, 2020 A new survey of U.S. higher…

Other Blogs and News:

The Modern Online and Professional Continuing Education Leader: Roles, Pressures, and What High-Performing Units Do Differently

Online and professional continuing education plays a pivotal part in expanding educational access and shaping contemporary workforce development. These programs serve a critical function in our communities, yet they face considerable challenges. Today’s leaders must navigate complexity tied to virtual learning and employer partnerships, along with changes in what communities expect from online and professional…

What is a “Professional” Degree? Lawsuits and Legislators Push Back against Trump Admin | Policy Matters (June 2026)

Major Updates What is a “Professional” Degree? Lawsuits and Legislators Push Back against Trump Admin Determinations The definition of a “professional” degree has quietly become one of the most consequential terms in federal financial aid, and it lands squarely on the graduate and professional programs many continuing education units operate. Under the One Big Beautiful…

What to Look for in a Higher Education Professional Association

Online and professional continuing is crucial for those in higher education leadership positions. Whether you are working to develop new programming at a college or university or serving as an academic dean, professional associations offer access to the leading seminars, conferences, higher education workshops, and networking events. Thus, choosing the right higher education association is…

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,…