UPCEA Updates

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

UPCEA and U.S. News Hold Joint Focus Group About Online Program Rankings

By UPCEA | July 9, 2019

UPCEA (the University Professional Continuing Education Association) and U.S. News & World Report recently hosted a lively and important discussion on the U.S. News rankings of online programs. The focus group convening, held on June 10 in the event space of 1 Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., was facilitated by Eric Brooks, Senior Data Analyst…

UPCEA PCO Blog Reaches 1 Million Views!

By UPCEA | June 27, 2019

The Professional, Continuing, and Online Education Update blog, curated by Ray Schroeder, recently surpassed 1,000,000 views!  The blog has featured daily updates of news, research and trends important to professionals in online and continuing education since December 28, 2010. Every day, Schroeder reviews more than 150 articles, research reports, news releases and other information sources…

UPCEA and Columbia University School of Professional Studies Convene Business and Academic Leaders for the Forum on the Future of Work

By UPCEA | June 25, 2019

Inaugural Forum on the Future of Work: Day 1  On June 21 and 22, UPCEA and the Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS) hosted the Inaugural Forum on the Future of Work.  The Forum brought together academics and industry leaders to discuss the changing leadership landscape, new ways to nurture employee talent, and the…

What Does Free Community College Mean for Professional Learning Spaces?

By UPCEA | June 17, 2019

By SmartBrief Editors This post is produced in partnership with UPCEA.   The idea of offering free access to community college, and even entire degree programs, has gained steam in recent years. CNBC reports that 11 states in the country offer at least some tuition-free community college programs to qualified students and nine more have…

Ray Schroeder: “Universities Have to Change To Meet Students’ Needs” (IBL News)

By UPCEA | April 9, 2019

Professor Emeritus Ray Schroder finds it difficult to stop working. As the Associate Vice Chancellor for Online Learning at the University of Illinois Springfield and the founding director of the National Council for Online Education at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), he has a lot on his plate. IBL News recently got in…

University of Washington Continuum College Vice Provost Rovy Branon to Serve as UPCEA President-Elect

By UPCEA | March 29, 2019

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2019 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed Dr. Rovy Branon as the association’s 2019-20 President-Elect during the 2019 UPCEA Annual Conference. Branon is vice provost for the University of Washington Continuum College. As UPCEA President-Elect, Branon will lead the UPCEA Membership Committee…

Georgia Tech’s Dean of Professional Education Nelson Baker to Serve as UPCEA President

By UPCEA | March 29, 2019

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2019 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed Dr. Nelson Baker as the association’s 2019-20 President during the 2019 UPCEA Annual Conference. Baker is the dean of Professional Education at the Georgia Institute of Technology and professor in the university’s School of Civil…

Five Key Trends for Professional and Continuing Education Leaders in the Next Five Years (The EvoLLLution)

By UPCEA | March 11, 2019

Higher education is on the cusp of major changes. Enrollments are on the decline—both online and on campus—and the trend is expected to accelerate. Graduates are laboring under substantial college loan debts totaling more than $1.5 trillion. Employers are demanding that applicants possess soft and hard skills that many college graduates do not hold. At…

Other Blogs and News:

Reflecting on the 2025 UPCEA CCI Convening: Designing Intentional, Learner-Centric Pathways

At the inaugural UPCEA Council for Credential Innovation (CCI) Convening, leaders from across UPCEA member institutions came together to explore what it means to build truly learner-centric, intentional credential ecosystems—ones that align with institutional mission, ensure financial sustainability, and elevate the student experience. Hosted as the first in-person gathering of CCI representatives, the event served…

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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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