UPCEA’s Graduate Network invites proposals that explore the evolving landscape of graduate education through the lens of innovation, collaboration, and strategic leadership. Sessions in this track will highlight best practices and emerging models in program design, marketing, enrollment, student success, and workforce alignment in graduate education. With a focus on meeting the needs of today's graduate learners—including online, adult, part-time, and global students—proposals should offer practical insights, research-based strategies, and transformative ideas that support institutional excellence and learner achievement across the graduate education lifecycle.
Presentations involving multiple organizations, as well as content that may be scaled or optimized by attendees from a wide range of institutions and credit-bearing scenarios, are strongly encouraged.
Proposals for this track may include (but are not limited to) the following topics:
Designing innovative graduate programs and processes—including new program models and learner-centered approaches—aligned with workforce and industry needs
Leveraging workforce and labor market data to inform program development and resource allocation
Proven strategies for recruiting and retaining online, adult, and professional graduate students, including global strategy and recruitment for online and hybrid graduate programs
Building graduate student support ecosystems: academic, career, and mental health services, including leveraging technology for graduate learner engagement and success across modalities
Innovations in graduate learning modalities: hybrid and low-residency delivery
Faculty engagement, development, and incentives in graduate and professional programs, both credit-bearing and non-credit, for working professionals
Creating institutional, industry, and employer partnerships to expand graduate education opportunities that support student career outcomes
Cross-functional collaboration in graduate education: marketing, recruitment, enrollment management, and academic leadership
Evaluating and managing vendor partnerships to launch and sustain online graduate programs or provide supplemental resources for student success
AI in graduate teaching and learning: implications for curricula, pedagogy, course design, and assessment
Strategic leadership models and decision-making frameworks driving innovation and delivering measurable growth in graduate education
Preference is given to proposals that offer proof of success or lessons learned from try-and-fail scenarios; case studies of a single institution's experience should illustrate larger trends in graduate education.
Learn more about the Graduate Network.