The UPCEA Annual Conference is the most significant assembly of thought leaders and practitioners today in the field of professional, continuing, and online education. Join us March 27-29 in Seattle for engaging keynote speakers, high-energy concurrent sessions, and plentiful networking opportunities.
The Annual Conference convenes deans and other senior university leaders, key staff, and teams responsible for the management, administration, and growth of professional, continuing, and online education programs. Attendees have access to targeted sessions spanning the top areas of practice in our field (aligned with UPCEA's six professional Networks), led by higher education experts and colleagues.
Attendees will also find targeted sessions on the most pressing topics in the field today - including federal policy, finance and operations, marketing and enrollment management, instructional design, noncredit programs, alternative credentialing, and more.
Colleagues:
As I look out of my office at the spectacular physical grandeur that is Seattle, from the glistening waters of Lake Washington, Lake Union, and Puget Sound, to the Cascade mountains in the East and the Olympic mountains to the West; I am reminded of the indigenous peoples and pioneers whose descendants now call the region home. In addition to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, the explosion of towers and other human infrastructure are also evident – from the iconic Space Needle to the newest technology company office towers, more than 60 tower cranes continue to alter Seattle. The rich diversity and pioneering spirit underlie a boom in regional growth and prosperity that has transformed the Puget Sound over the last two decades.
Success does have its challenges. The massive regional growth more starkly reveals the “skills gap” than in other cities. Those individuals with the right skills and knowledge are thriving but those without are being left behind. Even people with in-demand proficiencies today face uncertain futures. Economic shifts, longevity, and the rapid pace of technological change require everyone to continuously retool over the course of a working life, creating the need for a “60-year curriculum.” Our collective role as leaders of professional, continuing, and online education should not be underestimated in this endeavor and neither should the work that lies ahead. UPCEA is our professional connector, touchstone, and catalyst providing members with the opportunity to embrace this moment of opportunity and to face the inevitable challenges together.
Like higher education, Seattle is undergoing significant transformation. As you prepare to attend the UPCEA Annual Conference in Seattle this spring, think about how to embrace a future filled with possibility while maintaining your core values. Professional, continuing, and online education units have the vision, tools, and knowledge to lead our institutions in serving lifelong learners. Providing everyone with the right education at the right time in their lives to thrive in an everchanging society is up to us.
All my best,
Rovy Branon
University of Washington
Chair, 2019 UPCEA Annual Conference Advisory Committee
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