The Pulse of Higher Ed

Perspectives on Online and Professional Education
from UPCEA’s Research and Consulting Experts

Who is Driving Data Access and Usage? The Role of Tech and Data Teams

The role of information technology (IT) teams appears to be very different in higher education than it is in the business world. In business, CIOs and other managers of IT departments have made significant strides towards achieving strategic alignment. In higher education, however, it appears that professional, continuing, and online (PCO) education unit directors and IT managers speak a different language, and as a result, PCO directors are not able to take full advantage of data or technology when making decisions. To test this theory, UPCEA and TMMData gathered survey responses from PCO leaders and technology professionals in higher education to determine whether the relationship between the two groups is truly as poor as hypothesized.

 

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Other UPCEA Updates + Blogs

Benchmarking in Higher Education: What to Measure and Why It Changes Decisions

Colleges and universities have never had more data at their fingertips. Still, many higher education leadership teams still make major decisions on incomplete internal reporting or even gut instinct alone. Benchmarking offers a structured alternative. When done well, it gives higher ed leaders a reliable framework for understanding where their institution stands versus peer organizations…

UPCEA’s Corporate Member Blog Series #4 | From Data to Action: Helping Institutions Close the Gap Between Ambition and Infrastructure

The 2026 State of Continuing Education report makes one thing unmistakably clear: UPCEA member institutions know where they want to go. What they need is help getting there. The findings from this year’s study read less like a progress report and more like a stress test. Microcredential adoption has hit an all-time high (88%). Workforce…

Seeing Part of the Picture: What We Still Cannot See About Online Students

For more than a decade, higher education leaders have relied on IPEDS data to understand the growth of distance education. Since distance education reporting was added to IPEDS in 2012, the number of students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses has more than doubled. Today, more than 5.3 million students are enrolled exclusively in distance…

The Modern Online and Professional Continuing Education Leader: Roles, Pressures, and What High-Performing Units Do Differently

Online and professional continuing education plays a pivotal part in expanding educational access and shaping contemporary workforce development. These programs serve a critical function in our communities, yet they face considerable challenges. Today’s leaders must navigate complexity tied to virtual learning and employer partnerships, along with changes in what communities expect from online and professional…

What is a “Professional” Degree? Lawsuits and Legislators Push Back against Trump Admin | Policy Matters (June 2026)

Major Updates What is a “Professional” Degree? Lawsuits and Legislators Push Back against Trump Admin Determinations The definition of a “professional” degree has quietly become one of the most consequential terms in federal financial aid, and it lands squarely on the graduate and professional programs many continuing education units operate. Under the One Big Beautiful…

What to Look for in a Higher Education Professional Association

Online and professional continuing is crucial for those in higher education leadership positions. Whether you are working to develop new programming at a college or university or serving as an academic dean, professional associations offer access to the leading seminars, conferences, higher education workshops, and networking events. Thus, choosing the right higher education association is…

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