Progress Report: Coalition of Urban Serving Universities’ Urban Adult Learning Institute

Launched in June 2023, the Urban Adult Learner Institute (UALI) is a learning project piloted by the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU) that allows higher education administrators to engage in learning opportunities to advance the success of adult learners on campuses. Adult learners, often defined as undergraduate students over the age of 25, are one of the fastest-growing student populations in the United States, with an estimated 40 million+ adults with some college credit, but no degree (yet). UALI (pronounced you-all-ee) seeks to reinvent traditional structures on college campuses to ensure adult learners can transition to and through college successfully.

At present, UALI has engaged more than 115 individuals at more than 56 institutions across the country. UALI participants are required to complete four self-paced learning opportunities centered on the transitions and students’ experiences of adult learners; furthermore, UALI aims to ensure participants walk away with an understanding of how career exploration and community partnerships play an important role in the success of adult learners at urban universities. Upon completion of the four learning opportunities, UALI participants are issued the Adult Learner Advocate Certification.

UALI is free of cost and open access; we encourage all APLU and USU members to engage with us, by signing up at: https://www.usucoalition.org/uali. USU recently issued its first Adult Learner Advocate Certification and looks forward to issuing many more. The last day to complete the certification is May 1, 2024.