University Professional & Continuing Education Association

What University Professional & Continuing Education Association does

UPCEA (University Professional & Continuing Education Association) is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1918 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., serving as the dedicated learning community for online and professional continuing education units at colleges and universities. The association serves approximately 350+ institutional members representing nearly 10,000 individual professionals, with an extended CORe community of 15,000+ educators, and operates across the United States and Canada with named member institutions spanning Duke, Northwestern, Rice, Wake Forest, Texas A&M, Southern New Hampshire University, and University of Washington, among others.

The association operates an integrated product ecosystem built on its CORe (Collaborative Online Relationships) online member community platform, the Elevate-based Learning Center delivering the PCO Professional Certificate and asynchronous courses, the UPCEA AI Hub for AI integration resources, and UPCEA Research & Consulting for benchmarking studies and custom data exploration. Supporting programs include the UPlift mentorship experience, Hallmarks of Excellence peer review, Policy Matters primers, Career Center job board, and an annual cycle of flagship and specialty conferences (Annual Conference, MEMS, SOLAR, Convergence, DT&L) plus five regional salons.

Revenue is generated through Carnegie-classified institutional membership dues ($980-$6,600 annually), corporate partnership dues tiered by employee count ($1,500-$3,800), conference and event registrations, professional development course fees, and a new bundled Institutional Impact PD pricing model. Distribution relies on direct institutional sales, a dedicated corporate partnership contact (Brandan Kaiser), peer referrals, and five regional chapters, with engagement organized through nine professional networks covering Alternative Credentials, Business & Operations, eDesign, Marketing/Enrollment, Online Administration, and related practice areas.

Name

University Professional & Continuing Education Association

Legal name

University Professional & Continuing Education Association

Website

https://upcea.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UPCEA is a nonprofit professional membership association serving 350+ U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities with online and professional continuing education units, delivering networking, benchmarking, professional development, and advocacy through its CORe community platform, Learning Center, and annual conference portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Continuing education membership
• Online learning association
• Higher education benchmarking
• Professional development certificates

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Membership Dues: Annual membership dues paid by degree-granting institutions, based on Carnegie Classification and total enrollment. Covers unlimited professional employees at member institutions. Institutional membership runs from July 1 to June 30 annually.
2. Corporate Membership Dues: Annual dues paid by companies providing products/services to higher education, based on number of employees. Corporate members receive member pricing on conferences, listing on website, and access to member benefits.
3. Conference and Event Revenue: Registration fees for UPCEA conferences including Annual Conference, SOLAR, MEMS, Convergence, Digital Teaching & Learning, and regional salons. Members receive discounted pricing.
4. Professional Development and Certificates: Revenue from UPCEA's online professional development courses and certificate programs, including the PCO Professional Certificate and specialized training bundles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

UPCEA is a nonprofit professional membership association that delivers institutional and corporate memberships, an online member community (CORe), professional development certificate courses via the Elevate Learning Center, research and benchmarking consulting, policy and regulatory resources, and a portfolio of annual, specialty, and regional conferences. Offerings are targeted at deans, directors, and practitioners running online and professional continuing education units at colleges, universities, and EdTech partner organizations.

Product overview

UPCEA is a professional association serving as the premier learning community for online and professional continuing education. The organization operates through an integrated ecosystem of products and services: CORe serves as the central member community and online networking platform providing 24/7 access to 15,000+ educators; the Learning Center (Elevate platform) delivers professional development courses and certificates including the PCO Professional Certificate; UPCEA Research & Consulting provides benchmarking studies and consulting services; the AI Hub offers resources on artificial intelligence applications; Policy Matters provides regulatory guidance; Hallmarks of Excellence programs offer recognition and external review; Regional Salons enable local networking across five geographic regions; and UPlift provides mentorship programming. Together, these offerings support professional development, networking, research, and leadership advancement for members across the online and professional continuing education sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CORe (Collaborative Online Relationships) 24/7 member community platform where UPCEA members ask, answer, and search questions on relevant topics, with active conversations, resource library, member directory, and exclusive content including benchmarking studies and webinar recordings. Connects online and professional continuing education professionals across 15,000+ members.
• Learning Center (Elevate) Online professional development platform offering certificate programs and courses for practitioners at all levels in online and professional continuing education. Courses are primarily asynchronous with weekly live virtual classroom sessions, counting toward the PCO Professional Certificate.
• Institutional Membership Annual membership for degree-granting colleges and universities. Dues tiered by Carnegie Classification and total enrollment, covering unlimited professional employees at member institutions. Membership runs July 1 to June 30 and unlocks CORe, the Learning Center, conferences, networks, and research.
• Corporate Membership Annual dues-based membership for EdTech and higher education service providers selling products/services to institutions. Tiered by number of employees; includes member pricing on conferences, directory listing, and access to institutional decision-makers.
• UPCEA Research and Consulting Research, benchmarking studies, market research, and custom consulting delivered to members at member rates. Includes benchmarking data dashboard, peer review teams for on-site consultations, and the "Second Opinion" 30-minute phone consultation with UPCEA lead consultants.
• PCO Professional Certificate Professional certification program for practitioners in professional, continuing, and online education. Earned by completing five UPCEA courses within two years, with a digital badge awarded upon successful completion.
• UPCEA Annual Conference Flagship annual conference for UPCEA members and the broader online and professional continuing education community. Members receive discounted registration.
• UPCEA Specialty Conferences (MEMS, SOLAR, Convergence, Digital Teaching and Learning) Annual specialty conferences covering Marketing/Enrollment/Student Success (MEMS), Online Leadership (SOLAR), Credential Innovation (Convergence, co-presented with AACRAO), and Digital Teaching and Learning.
• Regional Salons Free half-day virtual regional events delivering timely insights and peer connections across five geographic regions: Central, New England, Mid-Atlantic, South, and West.
• UPlift Mentorship Experience Six-month annual mentorship program connecting UPCEA members with leaders in the higher education community for professional growth and career success through networking, insights, feedback, and skill development.
• Hallmarks of Excellence External review programs recognizing excellence in online education, professional and continuing education, and credential innovation through self-assessment against established standards and peer feedback.
• Career Center Online job recruitment platform hosting job postings for UPCEA members and non-members in the online and professional continuing education sector.
• UPCEA AI Hub Resource center providing information and guidance on artificial intelligence applications in higher education, including AI study groups and practical implementation strategies for institutions.
• Policy Matters Policy primers and insights providing introduction to foundational topics in federal legislation and regulations impacting online and professional continuing education for universities and colleges.
• Second Opinion Consulting Free 30-minute phone consultation with UPCEA lead consultants providing guidance for education leaders on strategic questions.
• Institutional Impact PD Bundle Bundled package of 10 UPCEA professional development courses offered at a discounted member rate, providing institutions with a cost-efficient pathway to scale team development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19 of 23 Top 20 institutions in 2026 U.S. News Best Online Programs rankings are UPCEA members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered diamond, platinum, gold, silver, strategic alliance, non-profit, strategic and core.

• BlackboarddiamondTechnology or IntegrationBlackboard is a global EdTech leader supporting teaching, learning, and institutional success for more than 150 million users across 80 countries. Diamond partner providing products and services to UPCEA member institutions.
• Collegis EducationplatinumTechnology or IntegrationProvides technology-enabled services combining data-driven technology with comprehensive services for enrollment growth management, online learning and technology management. Headquartered in Oak Brook, IL.
• ISACAplatinumStrategic or Co-development PartnerISACA's Academic and Workforce Partnership Program partners with schools to give students opportunities for credentials and certifications in IT audit, risk, security, cybersecurity, governance or privacy.
• LightcastplatinumTechnology or IntegrationProvides trusted global labor market data, analytics, and strategic insights with a database of more than 1 billion job postings and career profiles.
• RisepointplatinumTechnology or IntegrationEducation technology company partnering with 100+ regional universities and colleges across North America, UK, and APAC for high-ROI, workforce-focused online degree programs.
• Credly by PearsonplatinumTechnology or IntegrationLeading digital credential platform enabling organizations to recognize, communicate and track verified achievements. Has issued and verified over 100 million credentials.
• EducationDynamicsplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partner helping schools meet challenges and opportunities of serving today's student through online programs and adult-focused higher ed services. Largest provider of unbundled marketing and enrollment management services.
• Modern CampusplatinumTechnology or IntegrationProvides advanced software for institutional effectiveness including Lifelong Learning solution with program management for continuing, workforce, and online education. Trusted by 1,700+ institutions globally.
• Search InfluenceplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerWomen-owned, ROI-focused digital marketing agency helping institutions drive prospects through recruitment funnel with SEO and paid digital advertising.
• AccrediblegoldTechnology or IntegrationWorld's leading digital credential platform helping over 2,200 organizations including Google, IEEE, MIT increase learner engagement and drive program growth.
• ed2gogoldTechnology or IntegrationOffers 775 in-depth online continuing education courses across 40+ industry specialties with over 150 certifications for career training and professional development.
• InstructuregoldTechnology or IntegrationDedicated to improving teaching and learning through the Instructure Learning Platform, content, assessment tools, professional development, and partner technologies.
• NoodlegoldStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading tech-enabled strategy and services partner for higher education. Certified B Corp founded in 2013, providing infrastructure and facilitating online enrollment growth for academic institutions.
• SmartBriefgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading digital media publisher of targeted business news by industry, curating relevant industry news daily from thousands of sources.
• CarnegiegoldGTM or Marketing PartnerHigher education enrollment marketing and strategy leader delivering custom marketing through integrated research, strategy, digital marketing, lead generation, and Slate optimization.
• CourseragoldTechnology or IntegrationPartners with 250+ leading universities and companies to bring flexible, affordable, job-relevant online learning to individuals and institutions worldwide.
• Mentor CollectivegoldStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffers suite of research, services, and technology for high-impact mentoring programs in higher education. Has 180+ institutional partners working to advance equity and foster belonging.
• OES (Online Education Services)goldTechnology or IntegrationPartners with universities to design and deliver scalable, student-centered learning experiences with 14+ years of experience in end-to-end services spanning learning design, market analysis, and student support.
• Ziplines EducationgoldTechnology or IntegrationPartners with universities to provide in-demand certificate courses for tech-adjacent workforce through fully online programs leveraging hands-on training in Salesforce, Jira, Tableau, and more.
• AAPCsilverStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest healthcare education and credentialing organization with 250,000+ members for medical coders, billers, auditors, and revenue cycle professionals.
• InsideTracksilverStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission-driven nonprofit leveraging coaching to advance learners along educational and career pathways. Has served 3.6 million students across 425 institutions since 2001.
• LearningMatesilverTechnology or IntegrationEducation technology and digital enablement partner helping colleges and universities transform, manage, and scale online learning infrastructure for 20 years.
• upGradsilverStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal higher education and workforce skilling company partnering with universities to expand online and hybrid programs worldwide. Has helped 10 million learners access programs in AI, Data Science, Business Administration, and more.
• Eduframe by DrieamsilverTechnology or IntegrationContinuing Education Storefront & SIS for Canvas LMS designed to convert non-traditional learners. Official Instructure partner since 2014.
• MindEdge LearningsilverTechnology or IntegrationCreates and delivers online certificates, courses, test preparation, and simulations for in-demand skills. Founded in 1998 by Harvard and MIT educators.
• Six Red Marbles (SRM)silverTechnology or IntegrationPartners with colleges and universities to design and deliver high-quality online, continuing, and professional learning experiences with human-centered instructional design.
• Vista Higher LearningsilverTechnology or IntegrationDevelops transformative language and literacy solutions including Vista Academy for world language programs with online Spanish courses and flexible, innovative approach.
• Thompson Coburnstrategic allianceImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal counsel for higher education institutions managing complex legal and compliance challenges. Strategic Alliance Partner providing legal guidance to UPCEA members.
• Quality Mattersnon-profitStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeader in quality assurance for online education with peer-based approach. Provides faculty-centered continuous improvement models and professional development workshops. UPCEA members receive 25% discount on QM CPE rubric subscriptions.
• AACRAOstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint presenter of Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education conference alongside UPCEA. Two organizations central to development and implementation of alternative credentials.
• Modern CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in annual State of Continuing Education report, providing industry-wide research and insights on trends in micro-credentials, skills-based hiring, and technology adoption.
• The EvoLLLutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in annual State of Continuing Education report tracking how institutions are evolving to meet growing demand for flexible, career-connected education.
• CAUCEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in State of Continuing Education report representing continuing and adult education interests in higher education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: Larger higher education association with institutional membership model, conferences, advocacy, and professional development. NAFSA serves a different functional area (international education) but mirrors UPCEA's association structure, dues-based revenue, and member engagement approach.
• American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U): National association serving undergraduate liberal education at colleges and universities. AAC&U shares UPCEA's institutional membership model and serves overlapping member institutions, but focuses on broad undergraduate education rather than online and professional continuing education.
• AACC (American Association of Community Colleges): National association for community colleges, many of which are UPCEA two-year institutional members. AACC serves a broader mission but addresses overlapping topics including workforce development, continuing education, credential innovation, and adult learners.
• EDUCAUSE: Larger, well-resourced higher education IT and digital learning association with thousands of institutional members. EDUCAUSE overlaps with UPCEA in online learning, instructional design, and AI in higher education content, but serves a broader scope including IT, security, and enterprise systems.

Others

• Inside Higher Ed: Major higher education media outlet that frequently features UPCEA news, research, and executive commentary. While not an association peer, Inside Higher Ed shares UPCEA's higher education professional audience and serves as a key earned-media channel for the association's thought leadership.
• The Chronicle of Higher Education: Leading higher education news and information source cited as a UPCEA media placement. Shares the same higher education administrator audience and frequently covers the same online and professional continuing education topics as UPCEA.

Direct peers

• AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers): Strategic partner of UPCEA that jointly presents the Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education conference. Both associations serve administrative and student-success functions within higher education, with overlapping institutional member bases and similar revenue models (institutional dues, conferences, advocacy).
• Quality Matters: Non-profit partner of UPCEA focused on quality assurance for online education with peer-based review and faculty professional development. Both organizations serve the same institutional online learning units and offer overlapping conferences, rubrics, and professional development programming.
• Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE): Direct peer association focused on continuing higher education, professional development, and lifelong learning at colleges and universities. Operates with similar membership model and serves many of the same institutional continuing education units that UPCEA targets.
• CAUCE (Canadian Association for University Continuing Education): Coalition partner of UPCEA on the State of Continuing Education report, representing Canadian continuing and adult education interests. CAUCE serves a regional membership base that overlaps with UPCEA's Canadian institutional members and shares the same continuing education focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/upcea
• Facebookfacebook.com/upcea

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University Professional & Continuing Education Association