The cloud of uncertainty around revenue-sharing agreements is starting to lift. And it’s about time.
In October, the U.S. Department of Education officially rescinded its controversial 2023 guidance that sought to regulate online program managers (OPMs) and revenue-sharing models. The Trump administration is unlikely to change course.
While the worst of the regulatory whiplash appears to be behind us, significant damage has already been done. Many universities are left questioning whether revenue sharing is a legally viable or ethically sound choice — and they mistakenly believe fee-for-service (FFS) agreements are their only safe option.
We believe everyone deserves access to higher education that can transform their career. That’s why we leverage technology to make programs accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
But we don’t stop there. We also strive to put degrees and certificates within financial reach. AllCampus has contributed to scholarships and supported discounts offered by our partners, which reduce the cost of tuition, allowing students to focus on what matters most: their education.
Our Graduates
7,600+
Graduates from our degree programs
1,700+
Graduates in 2023
Financial Support
$2,350,000+
Scholarships and discounts awarded since 2020
$1,250,000+
Scholarships and discounts distributed in past 24 months
In Their Own Words
“Your dedication to making me feel comfortable and showing me that the university cares about its students made me choose to enroll. Because of you, I will walk the stage on May 7th, a moment I always wished and prayed for.”
— Enrolled Student
“I got my acceptance letter yesterday. It was a special day — my fiancé’s birthday and my Cal Lutheran acceptance day. I am so happy to accomplish my educational goals at CLU!”
— Accepted Student
Partner Satisfaction
We’re proud to partner with respected universities across the nation. We receive consistently high ratings from these partners, who recognize and value our dedication to excellence.
As we expand our reach, we anticipate proving our worth to an even wider portfolio of university partners.
92
Net promoter score (NPS)
4.8/5
Score for overall partner satisfaction
4.8/5
Score for value provided
“We are trying to not only lead by example in the education space but be the best at what we do, so we can help students, schools, and our own employees succeed.”
(Inclusive Workplace Survey)
“AllCampus cares about the people who work here and the people we’re trying to serve.”
(2023 Best Places Survey)
Workplace Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction
Employee satisfaction is core to any successful organization. At AllCampus, the results speak for themselves. AllCampus benefits from a working environment that is collaborative, efficient and stable from year to year.
“When our employees feel valued, our work flows from a place of real passion. Passion is what drives us all, and it is what connects us as a unit.”
(Inclusive Workplace Survey)
“I see people being treated with respect and a desire to make working here a great experience.”
(2023 Best Places Survey)
Professional Development
At AllCampus, we invest in people: it’s one of the reasons we enjoy a culture of stability and high satisfaction among employees. Each year, dozens of employees take advantage of opportunities for professional development. This helps AllCampus stay current and ensures our workers reach their fullest potential.
45
Employees who participated in professional development in 2023
$62,000
Our annual investment in professional development
“AllCampus is willing to train, assist, and grow employees to their full potential, regardless of their experience when they are hired. We are a place that creates career professionals, not just workers doing daily tasks.”
(Inclusive Workplace Survey)
Workplace Diversity
AllCampus is committed to maintaining an inclusive, collaborative workplace where all feel empowered to grow and thrive.
To help support our workers, we offer employee resource groups (ERGS) that recognize, celebrate and educate others about diversity.
Our Team
29% of AllCampus employees identify as people of color (POC)
60% identify as female
Our Managers
24% of AllCampus team managers are POC
49% identify as female
“AllCampus is growing into a more inclusive workplace. We have made great strides in these areas over the past several years, and we will stay at the forefront of inclusivity for all.”
(Inclusive Workplace Survey)
Superstar Shoutout
A huge thank you to our ERGs for organizing so many meaningful events this year and strengthening the bond between AllCampus and our wider community. It’s not easy to lead a group or find the right ways to make an impact. Your dedication makes AllCampus a better place to work. We appreciate you!
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
AC Cares: Employee-led charitable initiative committee
All Is Well: Working to promote balance, reduce stigma and build community around mental health issues
Rainbow Campus: A celebration of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies
Strength in She: An inclusive environment that empowers women through conversation, collaboration and leadership
Unity in We: A safe space to celebrate the cultural richness of our diverse community
“The ERGs are truly open and engaging and create an atmosphere where people with different views feel welcome. All perspectives are heard and valued.”
(Inclusive Workplace Survey)
Community Impact
We believe in giving back to our community. Our employees receive paid time off for charitable service, and we partner with outside organizations to offer both volunteer service and financial support.
$18K
Charitable donations in 2023
430+
total community service hours in 2023
Key Partnerships & Donations
“I love the people I work with and our sense of community. The work being done in AC Cares and the ERGs, along with support from the organization’s leadership and the values they uphold, are a big deal to me.”
(Summer 2024 Pulse Survey)
Corporate Responsibility
We represent trusted brands in higher education, and we support students with diverse and evolving needs. We are also a remote company with team members all across the country. Trust is vital to our operations.
That trust must be earned. For that reason, we uphold the highest legal and ethical standards for everyone we serve, including our workers, students and university partners. We strive to set an industry example for responsible, humane corporate leadership.
Compliance
We are committed to the protection of our employees’ legal rights. AllCampus takes great care to comply with all labor laws that apply to our workplace, including ERISA, FLSA, EEO-1 and IRC Section 125.
Financial Health
AllCampus has undergone rigorous financial and 401K audits. As we move forward, we promise to maintain our culture of accountability.
Technology
At AllCampus, we are dedicated to ensuring our tech infrastructure and online platforms meet the highest standards of accessibility and security.
Web Accessibility: The AllCampus website adheres to both WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Our online resources are designed to be used by people of all abilities, and we make continuous updates to ensure we meet the latest accessibility guidelines.
Security Compliance: Data protection and information security are paramount at AllCampus. We comply with all privacy laws relevant to our work, including FERPA, HIPAA and the GDPR. These standards help protect the personal information of employees, students and university partners.
Privacy Practices: We take privacy seriously. We maintain SOC2 Type II certification, use the Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Tool (HECVAT) questionnaire and follow TCPA standards. These practices not only ensure that our tech infrastructure stays safe and reliable but also empower users to retain control over their data.
“The senior leadership has been with the company from the beginning, and I feel like they live the culture they set and actually care about our mission and Core Values.”
(2023 Best Places)
Future Outlook
Our core values will guide AllCampus into the future. We remain committed to building a world where higher education is more accessible, affordable and equitable for all. We know our employees and university partners will help us bring that vision to life.
We’ve always been trailblazers, and we plan to keep it that way. AI has already started to revolutionize our field, and we’ve been among the early adopters. Our future path includes the responsible use of AI tools and other emerging technologies that will improve the experience of AllCampus students, partners and employees alike.
In coming years, we will continue to discover new ways to maximize our impact and empower student success. We will continue to foster a workplace that’s both efficient and inclusive. And we will continue to give back.
At AllCampus, the future is always bright.
“I like how AllCampus has taken an “experiment and learn” approach, and I want to see that continue and grow.”
(Spring 2024 Pulse Survey)
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Here we go again. As a veteran marketer, I’ve seen my share of disruptions: the website moving from optional to essential, the beginning of search and the emergence of Google, analytics moving from fringe to front-and-center, mobile devices and online shopping becoming ubiquitous, and social media’s advent and evolution. And now, we have generative AI (Gen AI): a disruptor, to be certain. But will its impact be all-encompassing? Here’s how I see this playing out — the certainties, the maybes and the “hold up… I don’t think so’s”.
Gen AI and LLMs are surrounded by a massive amount of hype, with some thought leaders and laypeople saying it’s going to change everything, tomorrow. While I do think Gen AI is a game-changer, let’s take a breath and consider some of the disruptors mentioned earlier. None of them changed the game overnight; it took time. In many cases, it took years before the fundamentals of marketing truly shifted permanently. Nobody had these disruptors figured out in the early days. It took an open mind, innovative thinking and a lot of failures to work out how to take full advantage of the previous generation of game-changers.
The hyperactive dynamics of today’s marketing landscape mean that Gen AI will disrupt faster, more deeply, and sometimes differently than its predecessors, but plenty of these changes will not be fully realized next week or next month or even next year. Changes are coming, but there is time to learn and adapt…if you start now.
The Definites
SERP evolution: I’ve watched search engines results pages (SERPs) evolve over the years, and it’s clear that Gen AI will spur greater evolution as search results become even more personalized, dynamic and user-friendly.
The shift in web traffic: Web traffic patterns have changed before, and with Gen AI, I expect another shift. Traditional web traffic will decrease a little, but this opens new avenues for engagement.
Revolution in web page design: Remember when websites were just static pages? Gen AI will lead to a leap forward in dynamic, personalized user experiences.
Content and ad format innovations: I’m particularly excited about this one. Gen AI will unleash a tsunami of creative content and ad formats, making marketing more engaging than ever. If Gen AI is used properly, good ads will look and feel like organic content.
The timelessness of good content: No matter the technology, quality content always wins. This principle will continue to hold true in the AI era. As Gen AI-enabled search grows, good content may be more critical than ever before.
The Probables
Search queries grow: Just like the approach to search queries changed as googling became an everyday task, and voice search led to conversational queries, I expect Gen AI to drive a surge in search queries, but those queries will be different from those that came before. This new approach will influence search engine marketing strategies significantly.
SEO’s new direction: If there is one constant in search marketing, it is Google algorithm changes. Lately, what influences Google’s algorithm is as much about the experience as it is about the content. I anticipate SEO will evolve to be less focused on ranking for certain keywords, with a greater focus on ranking for threaded content and user intent.
The need for media diversification: In my experience, diversification is key. With Gen AI, maintaining a presence across various platforms will continue to be crucial (and hopefully easier than ever).
Social media’s growing ROI: I expect a significant increase in ROI for marketers who can effectively harness Gen AI to address the data goldmine that is social media.
Changing website engagement: Gen AI will transform how users interact with websites, making it more critical than ever to understand visitor intent and create experiences that are more intuitive and personalized.
The rise of AI chat: I predict Gen AI-driven chat interfaces will become a staple in digital marketing, offering unparalleled real-time engagement. There was once a time when having a website was optional. Now, without one, you are at a fundamental disadvantage. The same will be true for AI chat within the next 1–2 years.
The Unlikelies
Total AI domination: While Gen AI will be majorly influential, it is difficult to see it completely taking over marketing in the foreseeable future. There are still too many biases and weaknesses within AI and LLMs that a person has to monitor to prevent failures at best, and PR nightmares at worst.
Wild changes to PPC and SEO: Based on my experience, changes in PPC and SEO will be evolutionary, not revolutionary. The fundamentals of search marketing will remain. People will still declare their intent via a query (even if that query includes a picture), and marketers will still assign value to that query through inferred data (i.e., who, where, when and how).
Deep dips in search-driven traffic: Despite some predictions, I don’t foresee a total collapse in search-driven traffic for most websites. The nature of traffic generation will evolve, but its importance will remain.
Branding gets its crown back: Branding has always been an important factor in marketing, and there was a time when it was the most important factor. But people potentially spending less time on your website doesn’t suddenly take us back to the days of Don Draper. A well-rounded marketing strategy focused on ROI will continue to win out.
Big changes to ad inventory and CPCs: Market fluctuations are normal, and the SERP will change, but that doesn’t mean that people are going to search less or that search engines are going to cease their efforts to monetize. I don’t anticipate drastic changes in ad inventory or CPC rates across the traditional players.
Trouble for search giants: Having seen Google’s rise, I’m confident in it maintaining a strong market share in the face of new challengers. There will be competitors that arise and carve out sizable niches. That is a good thing for consumers and marketers alike. In the end, Google will protect its ad revenue and is unlikely to face a Yahoo-like decline.
My Take on the AI-Enhanced Marketing Future
As we look ahead, it is clear that AI will bring significant changes in marketing, and that some predictions are unlikely to come true. From my years in the industry, I’ve learned the importance of staying adaptable and embracing new technologies, while also knowing that, in marketing, some things never change.
How much risk is your university willing to take on?
It’s one of the most important questions a college or university should ask themselves before launching a new online program. A new degree or non-credit certificate requires a significant investment of time and money. Even after the program is established, it requires ongoing resources to remain successful term after term.
“It is important to understand and be realistic about your own capabilities as a university,” explains Jim Lummus, SVP of partnership development at AllCampus. “Assess what you can do and how much your team can handle. You don’t want to make a significant investment and then not get the expected return,” he says.
A partnership with an online program manager (OPM) can help offset this risk. Even universities that are prepared to take on a significant amount of investment can benefit from a partnership, as they gain access to data-backed strategies and a team of specialists who know how to launch a program and what it takes to make it successful in the face of ever-changing market forces.
This is where two partnership models come into play: revenue share and fee-for-service. Both have their advantages, but the best choice ultimately comes down to the needs of the institution.
To help guide this decision, the online education experts at AllCampus have put together this primer for academic leaders and anyone considering an OPM partnership.
Revenue share is the most common model found in OPM-university partnerships. In this arrangement, the OPM provides a bundle of services to bring a new degree or non-credit certificate program online, which typically includes: capital investment, course design and development, marketing, recruitment, student services, design, technology support and much more.
In return, the OPM receives a percentage of generated revenue for each student enrolled who completes their degree or certificate program.
Advantages:
The OPM covers all upfront costs to develop and market the program, and in turn assumes more of the risk.
All services continue after the program is off the ground, with a seamless pivot from launching a successful program to growing it sustainably.
The university gains access to an entire suite of services that are optimized for long-term success.
A Whole Team Working for You
Imagine adding highly skilled personnel to your team without having to find, hire and manage a new cohort of employees. When a university enters a revenue share partnership, they gain an end-to-end roster of experts.
These are professionals whose full-time job is to support educational programs using proven methodology. They know, for example, the best ways to guide prospective students or optimize the search rankings of a website or connect with corporate leaders.
“A full-service OPM partnership means one team all working together,” says Andrea Maconachy, EVP of marketing at AllCampus. “Our enrollment specialists are talking to prospective students all day, and they share that qualitative, real-time data with our media managers, our creative teams and our search engine optimization (SEO) experts. Those groups then use that frontline information to improve their efforts on behalf of the partner.”
“It makes the full bundle that we provide extremely nimble and allows us to convert at a much higher rate,” she says.
The Tuition Question
A common misconception is that all revenue share agreements lead to higher tuition prices. In reality, OPMs focus on competitive pricing, which in the majority of cases means they recommend a lower tuition price.
“At AllCampus we have seen historical data that shows you can actually increase enrollments (and overall revenue) for a program by lowering the overall tuition in a competitive marketplace,” said Kyle Shea, EVP of partnership development. “It creates value for the program and more importantly it’s a savings for students. Sustainable tuition pricing fits our mission of making higher education more accessible, affordable and equitable.”
Creating the Revenue Share Proposal
When setting a revenue share percentage, the goal is to create an economical, sustainable agreement. Program managers like AllCampus run models to analyze anticipated costs and predicted results to determine what percentage is best for both parties.
Universities who enter into revenue share agreements usually sign up for a multi-year partnership. This is because it takes time to build programs to a meaningful size and to recoup the initial investment into a new program launch.
That timeframe can vary depending on a number of variables, such as the university’s brand, program pricing and admissions standards, but a widely accepted average is that it takes three to four years for tuition revenues to overtake expenses in most cases.
Recruitment cycles are lengthy; a longer contract allows the OPM provider to refine and optimize their strategies to bring the best value to a partnership.
What Is Fee-for-Service?
In a fee-for-service agreement, the OPM provides specific services, which the university pays for up front. It is a tailored approach; they choose and pay only for what services they need. This arrangement puts the initial outlay and risk in the hands of the university.
Advantages:
Often lower priced than a revenue share model because the university is using fewer services, though they are taking on much more of the risk and staffing expenses.
The program manager focuses on maximizing the university’s initial investment.
Costs are more predictable for the institution, as they know exactly how much they will pay, based on agreed-upon rates.
For organizations that already have strong teams in place, such as a robust admissions office or a longstanding student services team, fee-for-service can be a good option for filling in any need gaps.
The Rate Card
The rate card is a list of what the OPM charges for each service set. It takes into account monetary costs and the personnel needed to provide the service, both for an initial launch and while a program is in market. Most costs remain the same from partner to partner, though there may be some variable costs based on an analysis of what it will take for a school to reach their enrollment goals.
OPMs like AllCampus have years of experience launching hundreds of programs. That experience, combined with a proprietary analytics platform, means they know precisely what it takes, and how much time it takes, to bring a program to market.
Marketing support is the top request from universities, but nearly every element that comes bundled in a revenue share agreement is also included in fee-for-service. These services can include:
Corporate partnerships
Course design and development
Creative and design
Content production
Enrollment services
Market research
Recruitment
Media placement and management
Retention
Search engine optimization
Social media management
Student services
Creating the Fee-for-Service Proposal
Because fee-for-service requires an upfront buying decision, this process must be thoughtful and highly transparent.
When a university initiates a conversation about a fee-for-service agreement, AllCampus will start by looking at the enrollment goals for a program. We ask, what would successful numbers look like?
Using that, AllCampus works backwards to set a marketing budget. Then we discuss what areas the university could use the support of the OPM. Once those needs are determined, we use the marketing budget and the rate card to create the proposal.
On average, fee-for-service agreements are shorter than revenue share agreements. This is because the university is making the bulk of the investment and so the program manager does not need to recoup those costs.
Hybrid Models Do Exist
It comes down to flexibility: many OPMs will offer a hybrid option if it makes the most sense. This might occur when a university is signing on with a mix of programs or academic units that call for different approaches. Or when a university wants to pay for extra services for a one-off project while maintaining revenue share for their ongoing programs. Tell your prospective program managers at AllCampus about any special circumstances and they will create a solution for you.
What’s Best for Your University Is Best for the OPM
No OPM should push you to choose one option over the other, especially if it goes against the best interests of your institution. It is ultimately your decision, and it is the provider’s job to work for you. If your team is candid about needs and desired outcomes, the OPM should provide you with a customized plan that matches those goals.
“We’re not partial to one or the other option,” said Jim Lummus. “We just want to understand what matters to your university, what your situation is and how we can put together a proposal that will work.”
Flexibility and creativity are core competencies at AllCampus. It is how we stay agile in the face of ongoing changes in the education market and in the needs of students. These values are also critical to laying the foundation for a partnership that is both successful and sustainable.
How to Get Help Making the Decision
This overview cannot capture all the nuances and circumstances unique to each university’s situation. That is why anyone considering the launch of a new program or the revitalization of an existing one should set up a consultation.
Even if you do not move forward with an OPM partnership, your organization benefits from hearing from experts who know the process inside and out.
“Launching the right programs in the right construct is so important,” said Kyle Shea. “We inform the decision for each partner so they can pick what works best for them.”
“We’re here as your advisors to come up with the best solution in a partnership model that works for you overall,” he said. “We can help advise you on what’s the best option for you to be successful in a partnership.”
Contact us to learn more about our services and the work we do for our university partners and their programs.
If you’re interested in partnering with AllCampus, tell us more about your goals and the challenges you’re facing. We’d love to discuss how we can help you navigate them.
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David Kaiser is an enrollment specialist with AllCampus. He draws on his expertise in this role and his recent conversations with prospective students to provide context for how they are becoming increasingly more comfortable learning in the online environment.
The college campus was once synonymous with luscious green quads sprinkled with students reading under the shade of trees. Studying at a university meant commuting to class, packing into a lecture hall and scribbling notes as a professor spoke. Now, through online learning, the traditional campus has expanded to home offices and coffee shops around the world.
While classroom whiteboards are being exchanged for Learning Management Systems (LMS), our shift to digital technology has enabled universities to drastically expand the reach of their academic communities while also scaling their marketing and recruitment efforts to more effectively speak to a global audience.
The impact of online learning on our world has been immeasurable, and its evolution is not slowing down.
Among the chief online learning officers surveyed in a recent Changing Landscape of Online Education report, 77% expect “some or major acceleration” in trends toward online education. Many schools that had offered mostly in-person classes made significant investments in educational technology as a result of COVID-19. The expanded investment in online learning led to a dramatic increase in students attending four-year institutions and enrolled exclusively in online courses, growing from 1.1 million students in Fall 2019 to more than 4 million in Fall 2020.
The research labs, lecture halls and marble columns are still iconic pillars of university life, but, increasingly, the students I talk to have found that experiencing school spirit themselves only requires an internet connection. From single parents juggling work and childcare responsibilities to professionals looking for a career boost, the virtual classroom and other flexible learning options like upskilling can reach an impressively wide audience.
Meeting Students Where They Are
In my conversations with applicants as an enrollment specialist at AllCampus, the topic of what it is that distinguishes the on-campus experience from virtual learning comes up frequently in conversations. Prospective students already recognize the value of being on campus and its importance as a cornerstone of university culture.
This is exactly why universities that have succeeded in online education bring more than just their programs’ curricula and assignments into their virtual classrooms. They leverage collaboration and social media technology to replicate their on-campus culture and to encourage authentic professional connections between students.
When the applicants I talk to begin to recognize that the same quality of education can be attained online, flexible course schedules and workloads become an even more important factor in comparing different schools.
With the technology and social support for online education growing every day, colleges have an opportunity to digitally replicate the culture and passion for learning that has made their on-ground campuses exceptional places to study.
Flexibility and Convenience
When considering the time constraints for a working parent, or recent graduate adjusting to the professional world, the implications of being able to sneak in an extra hour to study are hard to quantify. For professionals who need more education to advance their career, cutting commute times or having the ability to work on assignments after putting kids to sleep can make earning a master’s degree a reality.
Many universities offer courses with mixed synchronous and asynchronous components or short on-campus immersion weekends, along with video office hours and access to campus resources. More than 20% of chief online learning officers believe that new online graduate courses are “very likely” to include at least some synchronous components. These high touch programs fulfill the desire for a more interactive and collaborative grad school experience.
The most successful asynchronous curricula provide flexibility while also encouraging lively discussions on the school’s LMS platform. Students find that programs incorporating additional synchronous sessions or on-campus elements offer a “best-of-both-worlds” alternative to fully in-person degrees.
Enrollment specialists at AllCampus are equipped to not only guide prospective students through the application process, but to set them up for success in the program. For example, when I first joined AllCampus, I was thoroughly trained on the ins and outs of the programs I work with, including expected workload, curriculum design and student support resources.
Being armed with knowledge on the demands of each program enables me to work closely with students to set clear expectations long before even being admitted to the program. This ensures that the students will be good fits, and it increases the likelihood of long-term success in working toward their goal of graduation.
Geographic Accessibility
Removing geographic limitations allows applicants to vastly broaden the list of schools they can consider. In the case of prospective students in more remote areas, an online degree may provide the only feasible opportunity to attend grad school at all.
I often speak with people from rural communities or small towns who lack access to premier universities. Imagine living in a state with a world-renowned university, but that education remains out of reach due to hours-long commutes and high transportation costs, all while needing to take kids to school and clock in and out at work.
Other students may live in a large urban area but want to search across the entire country for the best program for their career. When universities offer online learning opportunities, doors are opened to highly qualified students who otherwise may have never found a way into the program, benefiting both the student and school.
Diverse Perspectives
Pursuing an online master’s degree opens students to a world of new perspectives that enrich the learning experience for everyone. At larger universities, students benefit from the online format because department faculty across different campuses, as well as adjunct professors from around the world, can teach their courses.
An intentional shift to online degrees, or expansion of existing online programs, brings opportunities for broader institutional growth. Universities can maintain their distinct campus culture while extending its reach and investing in faculty and students who had previously lacked access.
Broader Networking
In the same way that online courses reduce the barrier of entry into degree programs, the expansion of virtual learning provides networking opportunities not previously afforded to the student facing a long commute from a rural community or the working parent with no extra time to attend a career fair or seminar on campus. Anyone who has attended grad school knows that networking is a critical component of postgraduate education. With global alumni networks now largely virtual anyway, why not open those doors to online learners?
The leap from cocktail receptions to virtual networking is not far. Classmates utilize Zoom, informal WhatsApp groups and discussion boards to make connections with peers, faculty and alumni from anywhere in the world. Online enrollees often have access to the same campus resources as their full- or part-time peers at the university, which means they can take advantage of career development opportunities, the alumni network and other popular student support services.
I have found that students are often pleasantly surprised that the unique experience of online learning actually fosters stronger lifelong connections among classmates, professors and alumni than traditional on-campus degrees.
The New Normal
The pandemic only accelerated trends toward online learning that were building momentum before COVID-19 shook up the ways society operates. Hesitancy to embrace what may seem like norm-shifting change is natural, but, ultimately, the goal of higher education is to best serve the needs of students. In many ways, COVID-19 forced people everywhere to think outside the box and question long-held assumptions.
The “be scrappy” culture of AllCampus has given me the space to speak to prospective students, not from a script, but from my own passions and interests. As enrollment specialists, we approach our conversations with an active listening mindset. When I listen to students, I hear them asking for more flexibility, accessibility and broader options without sacrificing academic rigor, networking opportunities and the community experience.
Enrollment specialists at AllCampus share a deeply held belief in higher education and embrace our role as advocates for our students. As higher education and online learning evolve, we will also continue to support prospective students right alongside this growth.
In the business world, we’re navigating an acceleration in digital innovation, and that same trend is taking shape for our universities. New approaches and technologies rapidly rise to prominence and disrupt entire industries seemingly overnight. Organizations that both leverage and stay ahead of these shifts — the Amazons and Apples of the world — are the ones who become household names.
On the other hand, organizations across all sectors have a shortening amount of time to become successful. As former Cisco CEO John Chambers said at the 2020 HPE Discover Conference, 40% to 50% of the Fortune 500 will go extinct within the next decade due to disruptions caused by digital technology.
With the continued growth of online learning and the educational technology market, the same disruptions that challenge businesses to continually innovate will impact higher education with the same force.
Digital Innovation Takes the Education Sector by Storm
Online education did more than just change how and where students learn, it shaped the way that colleges teach. And with hybrid and virtual education accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid digital innovation is certain to follow.
In the same way that online learning revolutionized education by making courses accessible from anywhere, the growing market for micro-credentials and alternative education options will transform how we think of learning and how academic programs are structured. Today, students are more connected, have access to more information and have more possible paths to education and career advancement.
In a business context, upskilling refers to how we teach employees new skills. When we talk about upskilling at AllCampus, we’re thinking about the bigger picture. On a large scale, upskilling refers to students and employees putting heightened emphasis on rapid career and practical skill development.
In the 2021 Emeritus Global Consumer Sentiment Survey, career advancement, such as earning a raise or promotion, became the top motivation for pursuing education, coming ahead of factors like job safety, which was the top motivation in 2020. This is just one of multiple studies that show the potential opportunities presented by upskilling.
Why Universities Need to Embrace Upskilling
Just as online learning made it possible to go to school from anywhere, the growing market for graduate, non-credit and professional certificate programs will push flexibility even further.
For students, shorter non-credit courses and certificate programs provide more opportunities to develop skills and advance their knowledge in smaller blocks of time and lower cost.
Certificate programs also give universities a way to keep alumni engaged as active participants in their learning community, as well as support for other kinds of lifelong learners.
For universities, offering online certificate programs dramatically expands the number of students they can serve. Although great strides have been made to make quality education accessible across the country, bachelor’s degrees remain unattainable for a large share of the population. According to Strada Education, 65% of the U.S. workforce does not have a four-year degree and, as more people question the value of degree programs in general, micro-credentials and other alternative education options are bound to generate long-term momentum.
Micro-credentials also fill a broad range of other needs:
Bite-sized learning after graduation: Certificates can supplement knowledge from a degree program, making them attractive for people who have already completed an undergraduate or graduate program.
Support for stackable degree programs: Universities are starting to experiment with alternative program structures that leverage certificate programs as a way to give their students more choice in their course load. For example, a student may be able to earn a business degree by completing a set of business, marketing and finance certificate programs.
More affordable education: The cost of education rose roughly 59% between 2000 and 2020, while inflation-adjusted median wages only rose 5%. Lower-cost certificate programs provide education access to large segments of the population who can’t spend the time or money on an undergraduate or graduate degree.
More accessible education: Online certificates with shorter time commitments make it easier for students to complete their education in smaller chunks of time and exercise more granular control over what courses they take. For neurodivergent and disabled students, this can mean all the difference between completing all their academic goals and having to drop out of school to address mental health or medical issues.
Career exploration: Few people are certain of what they want to do with their lives at the start of their education journey. While not everyone will be interested in pursuing a degree, many will use certificates to explore their passions and decide whether to continue their education from there.
Universities become more resilient: Schools don’t have to reinvent the wheel to create an exceptional certificate program. They can use existing courses and curricula as a foundation to efficiently and cost effectively build programs that meet market demand. By offering a varied mix of programs, schools can ensure they continue serving students even during economic downturns and other disruptions.
The growth of upskilling will lead to drastic increases in competition across all areas of education, especially as platforms like Google and LinkedIn invest more into their professional certificate offerings. However, universities aren’t starting from scratch. As noted above, they can draw on their existing content and expertise to create certificate offerings that rival or surpass the quality of professional options in the market.
To take advantage of upskilling’s potential, it will be important to rethink what formal education looks like. With more options available, students will be able to chart their own path to learning in a profoundly unprecedented way — with more granular control over what topics they study, which credentials they earn and the time they take to finish. In other words, flexible and varied program offerings will become increasingly important differentiating factors as prospects are deciding where to study.
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In October, the U.S. Department of Education officially rescinded its controversial 2023 guidance that sought to regulate online program managers (OPMs) and revenue-sharing models. The Trump administration is unlikely to change course. 
Here we go again. As a veteran marketer, I’ve seen my share of disruptions: the website moving from optional to essential, the beginning of search and the emergence of Google, analytics moving from fringe to front-and-center, mobile devices and online shopping becoming ubiquitous, and social media’s advent and evolution. And now, we have generative AI (Gen AI): a disruptor, to be certain. But will its impact be all-encompassing? Here’s how I see this playing out — the certainties, the maybes and the “hold up… I don’t think so’s”.
The college campus was once synonymous with luscious green quads sprinkled with students reading under the shade of trees. Studying at a university meant commuting to class, packing into a lecture hall and scribbling notes as a professor spoke. Now, through online learning, the traditional campus has expanded to home offices and coffee shops around the world.