About UPCEA and ACHE
In today's fast-paced, rapidly changing environment, the University Professional & Continuing Education Association serves as an important resource to the profession. Its members rely on the Association for timely, cross-disciplinary perspectives on pressing concerns as well as for strategies that can help them respond to the growing population of adults and non-traditional students seeking continuous learning opportunities.
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association attaches high priority to meeting the professional development needs of its members. Through its programs, publications, conferences, institutes, seminars, and public advocacy, the Association seeks to advance university professional and continuing education.
The Association’s members include public and private accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities, international universities, and nonprofit organizations with a significant commitment to professional and continuing higher education. Member institutions provide pre- and/or post-baccalaureate-level education to students in pursuit of degrees, professional credentials, or simply learning for its own sake.
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association seeks to exemplify and celebrate its commitment to fairness and diversity in all of its forums.
The Association for Continuing Higher Education, Inc. (ACHE) is an institution-based organization of colleges, universities, and individuals dedicated to the promotion of lifelong learning and excellence in continuing higher education. Begun in 1939 as the Association of University Evening Colleges, ACHE has evolved to become an organization dedicated to serving the entire spectrum of continuing higher education in the United States and internationally. The membership of ACHE is a dynamic network of diverse professionals who are dedicated to promoting excellence in continuing higher education and to sharing their expertise and experience with one another.
Belief in the values of professional development, collegiality and service guide the mission of ACHE. ACHE encourages professional networks, research, and exchange of information for its members and advocates continuing higher education as a means of enhancing and improving society. The entire range of rapid change in higher education –the success of evening programs, the expansion of continuing education, the growth in number of adult students, the impact of technology, and the needs of training to sustain economic development – all provide added importance to ACHE and its commitment to serve the professional development and growth of its members. Today, ACHE services influence all types of continuing higher education activities.