UPCEA CEO Robert J. Hansen to Retire in 2027; Board to Launch National Search for Successor

The UPCEA Board of Directors today announced that Dr. Robert J. Hansen, who has led UPCEA, the online and professional education association, for more than 16 years, will retire as Chief Executive Officer in early fall 2027. The Board will launch a national search for his successor in February 2027.

Hansen came to UPCEA from the field it serves. Before joining the association in 2010, he held senior leadership roles at both public and private universities, and earlier served as an education policy aide in the administration of former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Notre Dame, an M.A. in Literature from the University of Michigan, and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois.

During Hansen’s tenure, UPCEA grew from its roots in continuing education to become the national leader for online and professional education, a sector that has moved from the margins of higher education to the center of institutional strategy. The association marked that shift with a brand refresh that made UPCEA a name rather than an acronym and introduced a new tagline, “The Online and Professional Education Association.” UPCEA’s annual revenue nearly quadrupled under his leadership, and its staff more than doubled. Highlights include:

• Leadership in online learning, beginning with the Center for Online Leadership and Strategy and the first Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR). Together, these initiatives gave chief online learning officers, then a new role on many campuses, a professional home and peer network. SOLAR is now the sector's premier  event for these leaders and their enterprise-level teams.
• Vibrant professional Networks aligned with nine core areas of practice. From marketing, enrollment and student success to instructional design, business operations, and most recently graduate education, our Networks give members in every role a professional home and community of peers.
• The UPCEA Hallmarks of Excellence, a series of field-defining frameworks for digital learning enterprises, professional and continuing education, and credential innovation that give institutions a shared standard for assessing and strengthening their own work. The newest, the Hallmarks of Excellence in Digital Learning Enterprises, was released this summer. Developed in collaboration with more than 80 chief online learning officers, it updates the original Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership and is endorsed by the American Council on Education, EDUCAUSE, Quality Matters and six other national organizations.
• Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education, presented with AACRAO since its sold-out launch, which brings together deans, chief online learning officers and registrars to build credential strategies that serve both learners and employers.
• Leadership development for the field, taking online and professional continuing education professionals from foundational learning to applied practice to leadership roles, with a flagship certificate program that prepares them to lead online and professional education enterprises.
• UPCEA Research and Consulting, which members count among their most valuable benefits. Its actionable market research, benchmarking and strategic consulting help institutions across North America decide which programs to launch, how to price and market them, and where to invest. 

UPCEA enters this transition in a commanding position, with a diversified revenue base, record cash and investment balances, and no outstanding debt. Its financial strength and record of innovation in programs and member services position the association to support its members through the economic challenges facing higher education.

That foundation matters for what comes next. Online and professional continuing education is now central to the future of higher education itself. UPCEA's members are navigating enrollment pressure, tighter budgets, new federal and state policy, and rapid changes driven by AI and credential innovation. The Board will look to UPCEA's next CEO to build on the association's strengths and grow the value members rely on to lead through that change.

"Bob built UPCEA into the professional home for leaders in online and professional continuing education, and the whole field is stronger for it," said Asim Ali, Ph.D., 2026–2027 UPCEA Board President and Executive Director of the Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning at Auburn University. "He saw early where higher education was heading and made sure our members were ready to lead when it got there. Thanks to his leadership, UPCEA is positioned to do even more for members in the years ahead, and the Board is committed to finding a leader who will build on that momentum."

"Leading UPCEA has been the privilege of my career," said Hansen. "When I arrived in 2010, online and professional education was still finding its place in higher education. Today, our members are leading their institutions through some of the most important changes in the history of the academy. Everything UPCEA has accomplished belongs to them, and to an extraordinary staff and Board. I'm confident the association is ready for its next chapter in what has become the most dynamic sector in higher education."

Search for the next CEO

The search will be led by a CEO Search Committee of UPCEA Board members, supported by a national executive search firm. Hansen will lead UPCEA through the transition.

When the search opens in February 2027, UPCEA members and others may apply for the role or nominate candidates. All inquiries, nominations and applications will be held in strict confidence.