The higher education ecosystem is shifting. Lines are blurring. Continuing professional education--with its focus on nontraditional students, applied learning, support of workforce development, and use of innovative and technology-based pedagogy--was commonly perceived to function outside the core of the academy, which focused on a liberal-arts…

Several years ago, members of the Futures and Markets (FAM) Commission of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) realized that the commission was uniquely positioned to put a face on the future of continuing higher education. The commission took on an ambitious research agenda in fall 2010 to identify emerging or…

In 2009 the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst), in collaboration with Hancock Shaker Village (HSV), created a new two-year master's degree in historic preservation and architectural conservation for professionals in the field. Combining university courses with training and classes on site at a national historic landmark, the…

In an age of knowledge, the capacities of professional and continuing education to open up new networks, overcome organizational hurdles, and foster an environment for innovation have assumed great relevance. This article makes the case as to why. It discusses key forces driving change--the knowledge economy, demographics, technology, and…

This case study demonstrates how building a flexible portfolio of services allowed a continuing education (CE) unit to thrive during frequent leadership changes. The case is set in a small state college, State Technology Institute at Mohawk (STIM), which experienced nine leadership changes in as many years. The names of the institution and its…

Educators, career counseling offices and alumni associations know well the stories of mid-career challenges. Courted by companies at graduation and quickly promoted in early years, well-educated professionals may assume that success will always be theirs for the asking, even if they take time off. It can be equally easy for universities to assume…

Forces driving change in professional and continuing education--globalization, technology, and competition--challenge educators to find funding for technology, develop recruitment and reward systems for staff, prune existing programs, and widen markets. Serious efforts to develop the knowledge base on costs and effectiveness of distance education…

Individual mastery of knowledge, skills, and abilities is no longer a sufficient guarantee of competent practice. Behavioral and cross-professional capabilities for effective teamwork should also be considered in the design, delivery, and evaluation of continuing professional education. (SK)

Discusses the growing field of continuing professional education, including who the providers are and how they currently interact. Providers are (1) higher education, (2) professional associations, (3) employers, and (4) independent providers. Suggests research on outcomes of collaboration. (CH)

Examines the National Board of Certified Counselors certificants' behaviors, experiences, and observations related to continuing professional education. Examines the positive and negative outcomes of mandatory continuing professional education. (JOW)

Contrary to positivist, rational-instrumental perspective, the social context of educational planning is interpersonal and communicative. Professional continuing education based on the interpersonal, familial, professional, and institutional dimensions of professional practice will be significantly different from current offerings. (SK)

Using the Integrated Practice Perspective model and data from 85 continuing education administrators, working roles in geographically decentralized organizations were examined. The resulting role composite for continuing educators differs from that in the literature. Contingency variables influence role importance and frequency of performance. (SK)