The Opportunity Architecture

  Accelerating Institutional Capacity for Employer Engagement in Credential Innovation Originally published by UPCEA on July 22, 2025 Employer engagement is not simply something institutions do after creating a credential. When approached strategically, it becomes part of how colleges and universities identify needs, design learning, communicate value, and contribute to the economic vitality of their communities. This piece reflects on UPCEA’s multi-year, Walmart-supported work to strengthen institutional capacity for employer engagement. The first phase produced benchmarking research, a practical playbook, and a maturity index. The second introduced a Peer Learning Leader model and human-centered design methods to help institutions build deeper, more productive university-to-business relationships. A conversation I moderated at the 2025 Canadian Association for University Continuing Education conference brought these ideas to life. Leaders from five Canadian institutions described...

  Unlocking Opportunity: How Tax Policies Like Section 127 Can Drive Employer Partnerships Originally published by UPCEA on July 14, 2025 Co-authored with Chelsea Miller of UpSkill America. Tax policy may not be the most obvious entry point into a conversation about educational opportunity. Yet provisions such as Section 127 quietly shape how employers invest in learning—and how colleges and universities design programs for working adults. This jointly authored piece explains the role of Section 127, which allows employers to provide tax-free educational assistance to eligible employees. It also considers related provisions affecting tuition benefits and job-connected learning, translating technical policy into practical implications for employer–university partnerships. For institutions, understanding these policies is essential. Employer education benefits influence program pricing, enrollment intensity, invoicing, data collection, and definitions of learner success. The Section ...