The Pulse of Higher Ed

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

Why Smart Cities Need Liberal Arts Graduates

As a lover of science fiction, I find myself picking movie genres that depict a future society fighting against the tyranny of unfair rulers protecting what they think is a utopian society. Ultimately, the masses win and freedom reigns. What our future society will look like depends on many things. Whether it will be dystopia of Ready Player One with residents escaping to a cyber-world for happiness or to a multi-class and segregated society where each class lacks something significant that another class has of The Hunger Games, we will never know exactly what the true future has in store for society. What we do know is that technology and the values of society will push us into one of many directions, one where we can expect greater automation with significant impacts to higher education. As we experience new technologies and new ways of doing things, the human element cannot be fully replaced. Leadership and creativity will need to be nurtured and developed through experience and education. The liberal arts degree is not a dead degree in our future. It just will look dramatically different.

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Other UPCEA Updates + Blogs

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

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Continuing Education Gains Momentum as Institutions Expand Workforce-Aligned Learning

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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…

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