An additional option for PLuS engagement is through Continuing and Professional Education (CPE). CPE courses are designed for a non-academic audience, mainly working professionals interested in obtaining a credential or certification which will help them advance in their professional career and stay current with the evolving needs of a competitive workforce. CPE courses are different from for-credit courses in that they are typically shorter in length, contain smaller amounts of content, and are designed to be self-paced with less instructor interaction. Furthermore, content modules are developed and refined based on feedback from industry. In the context of the PLuS Alliance, global corporations are a prime audience for CPE.
Different from Online Course Exchange, PLuS concentrations and degrees, CPE non-credit courses have a simpler approval process and may be combined into certificates of completion with content from the partner institutions. UNSW is investigating joint digital badge opportunities that could be incorporated into CPE activities.
When possible, content for CPE is repurposed from existing academic, for-credit courses. However, it is often necessary for faculty to develop original content for CPE courses from open sources, as opposed to textbooks. Not only may there be copyright restrictions, but the additional expense of required textbooks may be cost prohibitive to learners. The timeline for CPE course development (video recordings, course building, course reviewing and editing) can be approximately 2 to 3 months, depending on faculty schedules and demands.
