The Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U) at Georgia Tech is thrilled to announce its receipt of the 2025 UPCEA Research and Scholarship Award, which recognizes significant new research with implications for professional practice in online and professional continuing higher education. In addition to the center itself, several key team members were individually recognized: Executive Director Stephen Harmon, Director of Research in Education Innovation Jeonghyun (Jonna) Lee, and Research Scientist Meryem Yılmaz Soylu.

“We are honored to receive this recognition, highlighting our commitment to excellence and innovation in education. At C21U, we foster thought leadership through research, experimentation, design, prototyping, and implementation. We aim to define the next generation of educational practices and technologies by enhancing educational technology design, building vital community connections, and supporting Georgia Tech’s mission of developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.” Harmon said. 

C21U’s latest projects include studies using machine learning (ML) techniques to improve engagement and foster higher-order thinking in online learning environments. Yilmaz Soylu explained, “Our research compared students' cognitive and behavioral engagement patterns to provide actionable insights for instructional designers and instructors. Besides enhancing learning experiences, our findings could increase online degree and professional certificate program success rates.”

We have also researched and developed AI-enhanced tools for instructors and curriculum developers to boost learner engagement and improve completion rates. Additionally, we have created models to identify applicants based on their skills and predict those most likely to complete online master’s programs. The impact of large language model AI on adult students’ learning processes has also been a focus of our studies.

We remain committed to shaping the future of lifetime learning through our ongoing projects, such as using generative and transformer-based natural language models to detect durable skills in written documents and dialogue. These initiatives enhance our online programs, empowering students to succeed and fostering continuous personal and professional growth.

“This recognition inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of educational research. At C21U, we are dedicated to leveraging AI technology and data-driven approaches to address the unique challenges of large-scale online learning. We are excited to see how our work shapes the future of accessible, high-quality, and transformative online education programs,” Lee stated.

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, recognizes its members' contributions to the field and innovative achievements since 1953. The UPCEA Association Awards program honors individual and institutional accomplishments, with recipients celebrated at the 2025 Annual Conference, March 24-26, in Denver, Colorado.