As part of a strategic initiative, the Office of the Provost has completed a merger between Pitt Online and the University’s new Center for Excellence in Digital Education (Pitt EDGE).
"Effective July 1, Pitt Online has officially merged with Pitt EDGE. This integration marks a significant step forward in our strategic initiative to expand high-quality online learning and build the internal capacity needed to meet the evolving demands of today’s learners and tomorrow’s workforce," said Joe McCarthy, provost and senior vice chancellor.
Course design services formerly under Pitt Online were fully integrated into the new center, uniting the University’s instructional design talent and digital learning infrastructure under one forward-facing initiative. “This move allows us to streamline our digital learning efforts while focusing resources where they’ll have the greatest long-term impact,” said Anthony Delitto, associate provost for Digital Education. He went on to state that efforts to integrate the units will eliminate duplicate services and enhance coordination in building a stronger foundation for the future of online and hybrid education at Pitt.
"I’m eager to see the possibilities that emerge from the integration of the Pitt Online team," said Rae Mancilla, executive director of Digital Learning and Innovation leading instructional design in Pitt EDGE. "This merger allows Pitt EDGE to elevate instructional design as a strategic force across the University, mentor a new generation of designers and strengthen Pitt’s capacity to scale meaningful online learning experiences for learners of all types."
Ensuring a consistent design approach to the University's evolving portfolio of online and hybrid programs, the new Pitt EDGE team of instructional designers will be responsible for credit and non-credit coursework. Pitt Online Director of Online Programs Stephen Butler joins the EDGE team to supervise continuing education development along with a renewed effort toward expanding and enhancing staff development initiatives.
“This new structure allows us to expand non-credit offerings, strengthen staff professional development within our internal community and ensure our programs meet the highest standards for compliance, regulations and quality,” said Butler. “We look forward to collaborating with colleagues across the university to create flexible, relevant and meaningful learning opportunities.”
With this shift, Pitt EDGE is positioned to lead the development, implementation and expansion of innovative, high-impact online and hybrid programs aligned with its new mission and vision. Pitt EDGE was established in fall 2024 to become the University’s internal online program manager, or OPM, to partner with schools to provide services in not only instructional design, but market analysis, paid media, enrollment services, academic planning, quality assurance and compliance, and industry partnerships.
“Pitt EDGE’s top-of-funnel enrollment services will include lead generation, nurturing and early engagement of prospective online students and supporting schools in guiding students through application and matriculation," said Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Natalie Baney. "Our digital services will address student demand for personalized, tech-enabled enrollment and will help overcome fragmented, inefficient and often costly, processes across Pitt’s graduate and professional schools."
Meanwhile, the University Center for Teaching and Learning (The Teaching Center) will remain the primary hub for residential teaching support and will continue to provide core services such as support for teaching excellence and the effective application of educational technologies. “The Teaching Center is proud to add Pitt EDGE to our list of University collaborators who drive innovation and excellence in teaching and learning at Pitt. Our unit has a rich array of professional resources and services including workshops and seminars on best teaching practices and inclusive teaching, learning communities for peer collaboration, one-on-one consultations in pedagogy, testing and assessment support, academic video production, classroom technology training, and the development of research-driven learning spaces,” commented Interim Co-Executive Directors Michael Arenth and Bridget Ridge.
As a result of the merger, the Pitt Online title will no longer be a physical unit but the brand that represents all University online and hybrid programs with a new website geared toward prospective students launching later this year.
This transition reflects Pitt’s commitment to internal capacity building and to modernizing its digital education infrastructure to meet the demands of today’s learners. As Pitt EDGE takes the lead in shaping the future of online and hybrid learning, the University is investing in a centralized hub and spoke model that is sustainable, scalable and student-centered.