UPCEA Updates

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

2019-20 UPCEA Benchmarking Research Agenda Announced

By UPCEA | November 19, 2019

How do your programs, staffing and salaries stack up in the dynamic world of professional, continuing and online education? What marketing tactics are your peers using to get enrollments and fill their classes? Do you need solid benchmarking and stats to share with your campus leadership? UPCEA has exciting news—our Chief Research Officer and Center…

A Glance at the Realm of Higher Education

By UPCEA | November 15, 2019

By SmartBrief Editors This post is produced in partnership with UPCEA.   Former associate provost for outreach and engagement at the University of Southern Indiana and current vice provost for continuing education at North Carolina State University, Mark Bernhard offers insight into success within the profession of continuing higher education. Question: Tell us about your…

The Commons: Boost your job prospects by “re-creating” vs recreating

By UPCEA | November 14, 2019

Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? If you’re like millions of working adults (meaning, anyone reading this), of course you do. And, while most of us are referring to a lack of time between 9 and 5, the reality is that the most successful people are willing to sacrifice…

2019 UPCEA Marketing and Enrollment Award Recipients Announced

By UPCEA | November 1, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 1, 2019 — UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, has announced the recipients of the 2019 Excellence in Enrollment Management Award and the 2019 Marketing Awards. The UPCEA Excellence in Enrollment Management Award recognizes an outstanding professional, continuing, and/or online organization (unit or individual) that models best practices and…

Thousands worldwide have participated in GW’s free online courses, officials say (The GW Hatchet)

By UPCEA | October 31, 2019

Five years after GW launched its first free massive open online course, faculty continue to tout its advantages for students. Officials currently offer four MOOCs, which allow anyone to enroll at any time for a self-paced class in engineering or nursing after cutting two classes in summer 2018. Officials said the courses help their schools reach out to thousands of people…

Emboldening Student Driven Learning in the Online Environment

By UPCEA | October 11, 2019

By SmartBrief Editors This post is produced in partnership with UPCEA.   The world of professional, continuing and online education is in constant flux. Former associate dean of academic affairs at Syracuse University and current University of North Carolina at Greensboro division of online learning dean, Dr. Karen Bull provides her perspective in this online…

Deconstructing the Economic Factors Affecting Professional Learning

By UPCEA | September 13, 2019

By SmartBrief Editors This post is produced in partnership with UPCEA. The desire to advance in a career field or life in general is not enough for individuals who are ready to learn more and better their circumstances. Disparity exists when it comes to post-secondary education, including traditional college, certification programs and other forms of…

Special announcement: UPCEA Membership Roster Changes

By UPCEA | September 12, 2019

As chair of the UPCEA Membership committee, I am pleased to share some exciting news. If you are like my team at the University of Washington, you have more people who could benefit from your institution’s UPCEA membership than you have roster slots. For us, that has meant a constant rotation of staff through a…

Other Blogs and News:

UPCEA Announces 2026-2027 Leadership Team for Council for Chief Online Learning Officers

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces the 2026-2027 leadership team for the Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO). The association extends its gratitude to the 12 member volunteers serving in leadership roles for this body.  The Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO) and its members focus on leveraging the strategic potential…

Starting Small: A 90-Day Framework for AI Adoption in Online and Professional Continuing Education Units

For many online and professional continuing education units, the primary barrier to adopting artificial intelligence is not access to tools, it is uncertainty about where to begin and how to proceed without disrupting daily operations. Leaders are often balancing innovation with stability, making it difficult to introduce new approaches without clear structure.  A focused, time-bound strategy can reduce that ambiguity. A 90-day adoption…

Continuing Education Gains Momentum as Institutions Expand Workforce-Aligned Learning

New research from Modern Campus and The EvoLLLution, in partnership with UPCEA and CAUCE, highlights how institutions are evolving to meet growing demand for flexible, career-connected education  TORONTO, April 15, 2026 — Modern Campus and The EvoLLLution, in partnership with UPCEA and CAUCE, today announced the release of the 2026 State of Continuing Education Report, revealing that continuing education is entering a…

From Programs to Ecosystems: Reflections from Misericordia’s Workforce Symposium

Recently, I had the privilege of keynoting UPCEA member Misericordia University’s 2026 Workforce Symposium—an event that brought together institutional leaders, employers, and regional partners to wrestle with one of the most urgent questions facing higher education today: What does it mean to truly align with the workforce—not just in programs, but in purpose? First, deep…

UPCEA’s Corporate Member Blog Series #3 | The Partner Playbook: 5 Ways to Help Universities Win the “Modern Learner”

The “traditional” student is quickly becoming a relic of a bygone era. The future of enrollment is concentrated in new, non-traditional markets: adult learners seeking rapid re-skilling, dual-enrolled high school students, and the millions of Americans with “some college, no credential” who represent a significant scalable opportunity for growth. Universities know they must pivot decisively…

Higher Education at a Crossroads: Leadership, Strategy, and Stewardship

Reflections from a Fireside Chat with President Jon Alger on March 18, 2026 There are moments in this fellowship year that feel distinctly formative—where the conversation you’re facilitating is also, quietly, shaping you. Last week’s fireside chat with American University President Jon Alger was one of those moments for me. As part of my ACE…