About UPCoP
The History of UPCoP
The University Partnerships Community of Practice (UPCoP) originated as a kernel of an idea when a group of higher education sponsorship professionals met at a 2018 sponsorship industry conference in Chicago. After discussing the lack of sophisticated programming around Higher Education Partnerships, the group wanted to create a space to share best practices. Just a few months later, the first dedicated conference was held at UC Berkeley, and a listserv was launched to connect and support the group. From then on, the word has spread, and professionals across higher education have joined together to share ideas, insights and questions. The pace and enthusiasm with which the organization has been embraced has led us to where we are today with hundreds of professionals representing more than 85 schools across the country and internationally.
Past Conferences
2018 - Hosted by University of California, Berkeley with eight (8) schools attending
2019 - Hosted by Indiana University, with twenty (20) schools attending
2020 - Hosted virtually by University of California, San Diego, with thirty-four (34) schools attending
2021 - Hosted virtually from a school-agnostic perspective, with over forty (40) other schools and organizations
2022 - Hosted by University of Washington, with thirty-seven (37) schools and organizations in attendance
2023 - Hosted by the University of Utah, at the Chateaux Deer Valley in Park City, with forty-five (45) schools and organizations in attendance
2024 - Hosted by The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH with fifty-two (52) schools and organizations in attendance
Membership
The membership and collaboration related to UPCoP is intended to be free for higher education professionals to nurture the collaboration and growth which is a hallmark of the collegial environment in which we work. Throughout the year, UPCoP intends for its members to be free to:
Share best practices via case studies, whitepapers or blogs
Post questions, inquiries
Gather focus groups, trends and insights
Regular Webinars to discuss trending topics and relevant issues
The proceeds from annual conferences and other events are intended to support the ongoing collaboration and learning.
Leadership
Following the 2021 University Partnerships Community of Practice Conference, there was significant interest in formalizing the association, and so the official University Partnerships Community of Practice was born. Several dedicated individuals volunteered to help formalize and organize the organization. Please click the link below to Meet the Board.