UPCEA Updates

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

2020 UPCEA Annual Conference Cancellation

By UPCEA | March 17, 2020

Today we have been forced to cancel the UPCEA Annual Conference originally scheduled for March 18-20, 2020, at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel. This year’s conference will not be rescheduled.     As we shared previously, we originally opted to postpone the conference due to conditions stemming from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Though we had every…

Joint Response Regarding COVID-19 and Advice on Transitioning Face-to-Face Courses Online

By UPCEA | March 12, 2020

Updated March 12, 2020 During the week of March 2nd, the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), Quality Matters (QM), University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), and WCET (the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies) released a joint statement on the spread of COVID-19 and academic continuity planning. Since then, a number of institutions of higher education…

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response from OLC, QM, UPCEA, and WCET

By UPCEA | March 4, 2020

The Online Learning Consortium (OLC), Quality Matters (QM), University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), and WCET (the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies) represent diverse perspectives from across the field of online learning. In this capacity, the four organizations have the ability to mobilize around topics and concerns relevant to our collective memberships. The Coronavirus…

Identifying Local Skills Gaps (Inside Higher Ed)

By UPCEA | February 29, 2020

Cities in California and Minnesota both have growing medical technology manufacturing industries, but job seekers in those states need different skills to be competitive in the industry. In California, the jobs focus more on programming and life science skills, while the jobs in Minnesota focus more on product development and industrial engineering. […] This may…

UPCEA Releases Competency Statements for Professional, Continuing, and Online Practitioners

By UPCEA | February 18, 2020

WASHINGTON, February 18, 2020 – UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, is pleased to announce the release of the association’s Competency and Attribute Statements for Professional, Continuing, and Online Practitioners.  The competency and attribute statements consist of the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions required of Professional, Continuing, and Online (PCO) Education practitioners,…

UPCEA Announces 2020 Association Award Recipients

By UPCEA | February 10, 2020

10 Individuals and 6 Programs Receive Association’s Highest Honors WASHINGTON, February 10, 2020 – UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, has announced the recipients of the 2020 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…

UPCEA Outstanding Service in Postsecondary Instructional Design Award Recipient Announced

By UPCEA | February 5, 2020

Inaugural award bestowed at 2020 Summit for Online Leadership and Administration WASHINGTON, February 5, 2020 – UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, has announced the 2020 Outstanding Service in Postsecondary Instructional Design Award recipient, Penny Ralston-Berg of the Pennsylvania State University. The Outstanding Service in Postsecondary Instructional Design Award recognizes outstanding service…

Call for Talent: UPCEA Online Professional Development

By UPCEA | January 30, 2020

UPCEA is seeking talented collaborators for its new online Professional Development initiative, which will feature certificate programs in the field of professional, continuing, and online education. This is an opportunity to play a pioneering role in the launch of this exciting effort. Specifically, UPCEA is sourcing talent to join our learning community in the following…

Other Blogs and News:

The 41 Million SCNC: Why Higher Ed’s Greatest Failure is the Refusal to Recognize Real Life

There has been much discussion about the more than 41 million US learners with “Some College No Credential” (SCNC) over the past several years. Despite a strategic focus by higher education institutions to re-enroll these learners, and with some success, the population has continued to grow. UPCEA hosted a strategic conversation with the Council for…

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Student Recruitment

I recently contributed a chapter in the recently released book, AI Applications in Online Higher Education Administration: Strategies for Maximizing Returns and Improving Outcomes edited by Kathleen Ives, Marie Cini, and Ray Schroeder. This blog highlights key take-aways from my chapter. Higher education recruitment is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in decades. Traditional…

Public Comment Period Opens on Workforce Pell Implementation Rules (Due April 8) | Policy Matters (March 2026)

Major Updates Public Comment Period Opens on Workforce Pell Implementation Rules (Due April 8) The U.S. Department of Education has officially opened the public comment period on proposed regulations to implement Workforce Pell Grants, with comments due April 8, 2026. These grants offer a new federal financial aid pathway that will allow students to use…

Leading Change in a Time of Financial Pressure: Insights from UPCEA Senior Leaders

In March 2026, UPCEA convened senior leaders from across higher education for a timely conversation about how institutions are navigating one of the most challenging periods the sector has faced in decades. Hosted in partnership with the UPCEA Council for Chief Online Learning Officers and the UPCEA Council for Credential Innovation, the 2026 Senior Leader…

Microcredentials at an Inflection Point

Microcredentials remain firmly embedded in the higher education landscape, but institutional momentum appears to be leveling off. In the recently released 2026 Institutional Perspectives on Microcredentials Report, jointly produced by UPCEA, The EvoLLLution, and Modern Campus, institutional leaders describe a sector that is committed to workforce alignment but constrained by structural and strategic barriers. Based…

New Book Explores How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Online Higher Education Administration

Release offers practical strategies for ethical, student-centered AI integration WASHINGTON, DC — March 11, 2026 — Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping higher education, particularly in online and professional continuing education. A new book published by Routledge in association with UPCEA, the online and professional education association, examines how institutions can thoughtfully integrate AI into administrative…