UPCEA Updates

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

As online learning programs grow, so does the need for data-informed decisions (eCampus News)

By UPCEA | December 4, 2024

“While online learning has matured in many respects, there is still significant potential for growth, innovation, and improvement, according to a new report that underscores the need for data-informed decision-making in shaping the future of online education. The new research report, “Benchmarking Online Enterprises: Insights into Structures, Strategies, and Financial Models in Higher Education,” was released…

UPCEA Releases 2025 Predictions for Online & Professional Education

By UPCEA | December 3, 2024

Report highlights trends shaping the future of higher education, from AI integration to workforce-ready credentials. WASHINGTON and PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 3, 2024) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its “2025 Predictions for Online & Professional Education.” The report provides critical insights into the trends and innovations that are poised…

UPCEA Partners with UALL to Support Global Lifelong Learning Study

By UPCEA | December 2, 2024

Comprehensive study to strengthen college and university lifelong learning initiatives WASHINGTON, D.C., December 2, 2024 — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is proud to support the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL)’s comprehensive global study to help higher education institutions enhance their lifelong learning offerings, The future of lifelong learning: a new study…

UPCEA Releases Groundbreaking Research Report on Online Education in Higher Education

By UPCEA | November 19, 2024

New annual study provides key benchmarks, insights and recommendations for advancing online learning.   WASHINGTON (Nov. 19, 2024) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of a new research report, “Benchmarking Online Enterprises: Insights into Structures, Strategies, and Financial Models in Higher Education.” The report, based on a comprehensive survey…

Using Technology to Transform Higher Education

By UPCEA | November 11, 2024

The rapid evolution of technology is reshaping industries across the globe, and higher education is no exception. According to a 2023 survey by Inside Higher Ed, 73% of higher education institutions’ chief information officers believe digital transformation is crucial to their success in the next five years. As colleges and universities face a shifting landscape—characterized…

A new direction for the Distance Teaching and Learning Conference

By UPCEA | November 7, 2024

Over the last three years, UPCEA engaged in an innovative partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison to enable the latter’s Distance Teaching and Learning (DT&L) conference to continue under UPCEA’s leadership. The partnership’s goals included making this valuable event for the distance learning community more sustainable and accessible to online practitioners focused on teaching and…

UPCEA Announces 2025 Association Award Recipients

By UPCEA | November 4, 2024

8 Individuals and 7 Programs Receive Association’s Highest Honors WASHINGTON, November 4, 2024 – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, has announced the recipients of the 2025 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’ outstanding…

UPCEA Launches Virtual Week to Celebrate Membership and Expand Connections

By UPCEA | October 30, 2024

Higher Education Institutions Invited to Join the Leading Association in Online and Professional Education Washington, D.C. (October 30, 2024) – UPCEA, the association for online and professional education, proudly announces its upcoming week-long virtual event celebrating the impact of membership and invites higher education institutions to become members. Taking place from Wednesday, November 13 through…

Other Blogs and News:

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…

UPCEA’s Corporate Member Blog Series #2 | Fixing the Machine: How Corporate Partners Can Address COLO Needs in 2026

The current environment for online higher education is defined by what the 2026 Landscape of Higher Education Report calls a decade of “structural change,” making the job of a Chief Online Learning Officer (COLO) complex and intensely stressful. COLOs are not operating in a vacuum; they must manage a landscape of operational complexity. The Benchmarking…

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Gary W. Matkin

UPCEA joins colleagues, friends, and the broader higher education community in mourning the passing of Dr. Gary W. Matkin, a distinguished leader in online and professional continuing education whose nearly five decades of service shaped institutions, expanded access, and advanced innovation across the globe. Dr. Matkin began his career with the University of California, Berkeley…

Leading Institutional Transformation in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping work across society, and higher education institutions are no exception. Traditionally, discussions around AI in the academy have focused on student-facing issues such as academic integrity and personalized learning. Today’s higher education leaders are called to lead institutional transformation shaped by AI.  A new research study from EDUCAUSE conducted in partnership with AIR, NACUBO,…