This summer, the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Excellence in Digital Education (Pitt EDGE) took the national stage at the UPCEA Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR), held July 22–24, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. The conference is one of higher education’s premier gatherings for leaders driving digital transformation, innovation and strategic leadership in online education.
Leading the Conversation on Digital Excellence
Pitt EDGE presented “Building a Centralized Center for Digital Excellence: Vision, Strategy and Action,” a session designed to help institutions chart a course toward scalable, high-quality online education. The presentation detailed a comprehensive roadmap for establishing a central hub for digital education, including:
- Readiness assessment tools to evaluate institutional capacity.
- Resource and governance frameworks to align stakeholders across schools and departments.
- Phased timelines and market research strategies to identify and launch programs that meet workforce needs.
EDGE presenters included Executive Director of Digital Learning and Innovation Rae Mancilla, Executive Administrator Amy Morgan and Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Natalie Baney. They shared lessons learned, challenges faced and practical recommendations for universities seeking to reimagine how they deliver online and hybrid programs.
“Presenting at UPCEA 2025 SOLAR gave me and the Pitt EDGE leadership team the opportunity to share our early progress in building a centralized center for digital excellence,” said Mancilla. “The strong interest from colleagues nationwide in our readiness assessment tools and governance processes affirmed that our work was not only advancing Pitt’s mission but also positioning EDGE as a leader in shaping the future of online and hybrid learning.”
Transforming Higher Education Through the Online Space
The Pitt EDGE model represents a bold, university-wide approach to digital learning integrating instructional design, enrollment management and data-driven innovation under one umbrella. By creating a central center of excellence, EDGE ensures quality and scalability, so programs meet the highest academic standards while reaching learners worldwide. The center’s work eliminates duplication and aligns resources across Pitt’s schools and regional campuses to launch programs in high-demand fields quickly and strategically.
These strategic efforts not only strengthen Pitt’s own online and hybrid offerings but also provided a replicable framework for peer institutions nationwide.
A National Platform for Impact
UPCEA’s SOLAR conference drew leaders and innovators from across the country to exchange ideas and strategies for advancing digital education. Pitt EDGE’s presence signaled the University’s commitment to setting the standard for online learning positioning Pitt as a model for how traditional research universities could lead in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.