UPCEA Updates

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

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…

OPINION: 3 ways forward-thinking colleges usher in a new generation of students (The Hechinger Report)

By UPCEA | October 31, 2017

Higher education has undergone a sea change. For most of today’s students, the iconic image of lazy afternoons on the ivy-covered quad couldn’t be further from reality. A growing portion of traditional-age students are first-generation and low-income students who often lack the support and guidance needed to successfully navigate college. More working adults are turning…

Systemwide Approaches to Online Programs (InsideHigherEd)

By UPCEA | October 18, 2017

As online offerings have grown increasingly important to colleges over the past decade, large public university systems looking to launch or expand degree programs have been faced with a key question: To centralize or not to centralize? Systems across the country have adopted a wide range of approaches — creating a separate institutional entity for…

Changes in Labor Statistics Signal Major Occupational Shifts and Impact to Higher Education Credentials

By UPCEA | October 12, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 12, 2017 – A joint research report released today by UPCEA and Chmura Economics & Analytics reveals a number of major occupational shifts in technology, healthcare, and other industries and their impact on higher education. The study, Occupational Shifts and Higher Education Credentials found a rise in alternative credentialing in the…

196 Recipients Receive Honors Across 26 Categories for Excellence in Marketing

By UPCEA | October 11, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 11, 2017 — UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, has announced the recipients of the 2017 Marketing Awards. The UPCEA Marketing Awards program recognizes the top marketing and creative work across the UPCEA membership. This year, UPCEA is honoring 196 recipients for their excellence in 26 awards categories across…

Announcing two exciting, new member-driven regional conference pilot programs!

By UPCEA | September 21, 2017

Dear Colleagues, I want to share with you the results of the UPCEA Presidential Task Force on Regional Conferences, which conducted a comprehensive and iterative review of the signature deliverable of UPCEA’s five regions: a fall conference. The UPCEA Board of Directors charged the Task Force to make recommendations for reducing the number of regional…

Other Blogs and News:

Leading in the Age of AI: Learning from Lincoln

“How would you describe your leadership style?”  This question is a common one for both mid-level and senior-level candidates in the interview process. In the past, many relied on descriptors such as transformative, collaborative, or authentic to explain how they approached people and built teams. But as you think about your next career step, perhaps…

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AI Tools Are Driving Prospective Student Decisions, UPCEA and Search Influence Research Shows

Half of prospective students use AI tools weekly, and early-adopting institutions stand to gain in enrollment visibility. NEW ORLEANS, La., October 13, 2025 – 50 percent of prospective students now use AI-powered search tools at least weekly, making artificial intelligence a critical first step in discovering and evaluating higher education programs. The 2025 AI Search…

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Maximizing Audience Lifetime Value: The Role of Branding, Partnerships, and Alumni Networks in Credential Success

Shifting Student and Employer Priorities Create Opportunities for Higher Education Interest and innovation in workforce-related programming and credentials continue to surge, emerging as one of the fastest growing markets in higher education. Two-thirds of colleges and universities are making significant investments in this area, with more than one-third also embedding professional certifications into their online…

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UPCEA Virtual Forum Recap: Expanding Institutional Capacity for Employer Engagement in Credential Innovation

September 17, 2025 marked UPCEA’s first-ever Virtual Forum on Employer Engagement and Credential Innovation. The event, curated by Amy Heitzman, Ph.D., UPCEA’s Deputy CEO and Chief Learning Officer, brought together senior leaders in professional, continuing, and online education to examine how institutions can strengthen partnerships with employers and scale credentialing strategies that align with workforce…

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UPCEA Publishes “The Future Is Now: Essential Conversations for Building Tomorrow’s University Today” to Guide Higher Education Leaders into a New Era

Advocacy piece serves as a guide for institutional leaders to navigate challenging times WASHINGTON, D.C., ISSUED OCTOBER 6, 2025…UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announces the release of its latest advocacy piece, “The Future Is Now: Essential Conversations for Building Tomorrow’s University Today.”  Designed to raise awareness of critical questions every campus leader…

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Trump Administration Gives Harvard 20 Days to Turn Over Admissions Data | Policy Matters (September 2025)

Major Updates Trump Administration Gives Harvard 20 Days to Turn Over Admissions Data The U.S. Department of Education has given Harvard University 20 days to turn over detailed admissions data in connection with an ongoing federal review of selective admissions practices. While focused on one institution, this move signals heightened scrutiny across higher education. Administrators…

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