UPCEA Updates

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

AHEAD and UPCEA Partner to Support Online Enterprise Accessibility

By UPCEA | April 4, 2018

Partnership will focus on aspects of accessibility including faculty support, student support, and cultivating institutional advocates WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 4, 2018) – AHEAD, the organization of professionals committed to full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities, has partnered with UPCEA, the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education, to exchange resources, engage…

UPCEA Announces Four New Board Members

By UPCEA | March 26, 2018

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2018 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed two new officers and two new directors to serve on the UPCEA Board of Directors during the 2018 UPCEA Annual Conference. “This year’s deep pool of nominees was exceptionally talented, and it was a challenge…

University of Utah’s Assistant Vice President for Engagement Sandi Pershing To Serve As UPCEA President

By UPCEA | March 16, 2018

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2018 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed Dr. Sandi Pershing as the association’s 2018-19 President during the 2018 UPCEA Annual Conference. Pershing is Assistant Vice President for Engagement and a professor in the Master of Public Administration program at the University of…

UPCEA Intros Digital Badges for Excellence in Online Learning (Campus Technology)

By UPCEA | March 15, 2018

The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) has launched a program to recognize excellence in online higher education: the Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership Review. The program evaluates online education programs based on seven key elements, such as internal advocacy, entrepreneurial initiative and faculty support, and then issues Credly digital badges to qualifying colleges and universities. “In…

UPCEA Taps Credly to Launch Digital Badges that Recognize Excellence in Online Learning

By UPCEA | March 14, 2018

Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership Review program will award digital badges to high-quality online education programs   WASHINGTON, D.C. (MARCH 14, 2018) — The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) announced today the launch of the Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership Review program to recognize colleges and universities that demonstrate consistent excellence throughout…

UPCEA Announces 2018 Association Award Recipients

By UPCEA | January 29, 2018

6 Individuals and 9 Programs Receive Association’s Highest Honors WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 – UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, has announced the recipients of the 2018 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 members’…

UPCEA Joins Cautionary Chorus on House HEA Legislation

By UPCEA | December 11, 2017

National Adult Learner Coalition weighs in on PROSPER Act House HEA Legislation movement UPCEA, along with the National Adult Learner Coalition, joined with many other higher education organizations to join in chorus to urge cautious and deliberative movement on the US House of Representative’s push for a re-authorization of the Higher Education Act, H.R. 4508,…

Tax Reform – UPCEA signs Letter Against Higher Education Cuts

By UPCEA | November 6, 2017

UPCEA joined with ACE and 44 other higher education associations to send this letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) on the higher education provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1). The groups write that this legislation, taken in its entirety, would…

Other Blogs and News:

Key Findings from 2024 UPCEA Marketing Survey

As more and more institutions face internal and external pressures to identify and cultivate new revenue streams, many are turning to online and professional continuing education to attract new learners and address fiscal shortfalls. While this continued increase in supply undoubtedly benefits the student, it makes an already saturated market even more competitive. UPCEA’s 2024…

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UPCEA Announces Retirement of Chief Research Officer Jim Fong, Reinforces Strength of Research and Consulting Division

Washington, D.C. – April 7, 2025 – UPCEA, the leading association for online and professional education, today announced the upcoming retirement of Jim Fong, its founding Chief Research Officer, after years of transformative leadership in the field of higher education research and consulting.  Fong first became involved with UPCEA as a volunteer leader while at…

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Observations from a (Pretend) Prospective Student: The Do’s and Don’ts of Enrollment Communication

I’ve been through the college enrollment process before, and to be honest, it’s not exactly something that I wish to do again. And yet, as part of my role at UPCEA, I regularly step into the shoes of a prospective student during our Enrollment Process Reviews. These “secret shopper” exercises involve posing as potential applicants…

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Data and Insights from the State of Continuing Education 2025 Report

The 2025 State of Continuing Education study examines the evolving role of online and professional continuing education (PCE) units in higher education, focusing on program offerings, institutional support, technology integration, and collaboration across academic units. This year’s findings highlight a growing emphasis on workforce-aligned education, with institutions increasingly prioritizing corporate training, industry credentials, and employer…

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Annual Conference Follow Up: Translating PCOE Innovation into the Future of Higher Education

In an era of heightened urgency, higher education institutions find themselves at a pivotal crossroads—confronting enrollment cliffs, shifting demographics, and growing skepticism about the value of a degree. Further, shifting federal policy and changes at the Department of Education will challenge postsecondary leaders like never before. Amid this turbulence, one area consistently demonstrates adaptability, innovation,…

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New report from UPCEA – 2024 Staffing & Structure Survey Results

Amid growing demand for flexible and career-oriented education, online and Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) units are at the forefront of institutional innovation and revenue sustainability. Whether through degree programs, microcredentials, corporate training, or other non-credit offerings, these units play a critical role in expanding access to education and meeting the evolving needs of learners…

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