2018 UPCEA Annual Conference

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 14-16 in Baltimore 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.

Welcome to the 2018 UPCEA Annual Conference:
                                                                                          
Dear Colleagues:

I write to you from my office in Washington, D.C., located just blocks from the U.S. Capitol, halls of Congress, and the White House. I see these storied landmarks so often from a distance that I take them for granted, only to be reminded of their majesty when I approach. They serve as a personal reminder for me to recognize the beauty and deeper meaning behind what we may easily take for granted, and more practically, to get “close” to the mission and values that animate our work.

As schools of professional, continuing, and online education, we espouse and support inclusion, partnership, and access, and work to further these goals through membership in professional organizations like UPCEA. In a time of rancorous debate in our politics and polarization in our populace, we are uniquely suited to invite a diverse student body to experience an exceptional education. All are welcomed and valued.

In the months preceding our 103rd annual gathering, I hope you will consider how your unit embraces the world in unique ways. Perhaps this is through your campus’s geographical position within your local area, strategic partnerships with organizations and corporations, or expansion online. Though manifested in different ways, our ethos remains the same. We engage students at all points in their lives and careers, encourage them to rethink what is possible, and if we are successful, inspire them to seek something greater than themselves.

I look forward to seeing you in Baltimore, a city with a rich history and culture, and the perfect venue to explore how we may best serve our students for years to come.

All my best,
Kelly J. Otter, PhD
Chair, 2018 UPCEA Annual Conference Advisory Committee