University Continuing Education Association

The University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) was originally formed in 1915 as the National University Extension Association (NUEA). NUEA's focus was originally on establishing standards for correspondence schools and distance education, though its scope expanded considerably through the years and when it shifted to a division structure in the 1950s, correspondence study was only one of five charter units. In 1980 NUEA reorganized itself away from the division structure to a more national focus; to reflect this, the name was changed to the National University Continuing Education Association (NUCEA). In 1999 the word "National" was dropped as membership had expanded internationally, and the name became University Continuing Education Association (UCEA).