Education, Research & Public Sector

PHOENIX – September 20, 2026 -- New peer-reviewed research from University of Phoenix found that non-traditional undergraduate students who used generative AI tools more frequently reported higher GPAs and greater confidence in technology skills, contradicting assumptions that GenAI is primarily a crutch for struggling or time-pressed learners.

The study, "Strategic Integration or Skill Compensation? Understanding GenAI Use in Online Higher Education," was published June 30, 2026, in Artificial Intelligence in Education, Vol. 2, No. 1, pages 205-223. It was authored by researchers affiliated with the University's Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR): Jessica Sylvester, EdD; Melinda Kulick, EdD; Leonidas Maganares, EdD; and Stella Smith, PhD.

Los Angeles – September 20, 2026 -- Kobold Press, the twenty-year-old independent tabletop game publisher behind Tales of the Valiant, will be profiled in an upcoming segment of "All Access hosted by Andy Garcia," a short-form documentary series distributed to Public Television stations nationwide.

Filming is set for September 19, 2026, at the production company's Florida studio

Kobold Press Chief Executive Officer Alexander Stangroom and Marketing Director Dot Steverson will travel to the studio to represent the company. The segment will examine how tabletop roleplaying games function as tools for reading comprehension, arithmetic, negotiation and improvisation, and why libraries, schools and community organizations have added them to programming.

Henderson, Tenn. – September 20, 2026 -- Freed-Hardeman University enrolled 2,296 students this fall, posting an all-time-high five-year graduation rate of 71% that exceeds nine of Tennessee's public four-year universities.

Retention rate reaches 89% as new student numbers climb 5%

FHU's 89% retention rate accompanied a 5% year-over-year increase in new students. Full-time undergraduate enrollment rose 3%, while on-campus residency grew 5%, adding to a total undergraduate population of 1,806 students.

Graduate enrollment jumps 13% while international student count hits record high

Full-time graduate enrollment increased 13% this fall, bringing graduate program participation to 490 students. The university also welcomed its highest-ever number of international students, broadening its base of cultural backgrounds on campus.

Arlington, Va. – September 20, 2026 -- The American Institutes for Research (AIR) will present at more than 25 sessions during the 2026 Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) conference, running September 23-26 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore, Maryland.

AIR secures Silver Sponsor status and exhibitor booth at flagship research conference

AIR will operate a booth in the Exhibitor Hall throughout the four-day event, which convenes education researchers, policy leaders, and professionals under the theme "Education and Public Trust: Evidence and Accountability in a Changing Landscape."

Mexico City – September 20, 2026 -- The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) has awarded full accreditation to Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), making it the first of Mexico's 13 National Institutes of Health under the Mexican Ministry of Health to reach this status.

INCMNSZ becomes only the second organization in Mexico to earn AAHRPP accreditation, joining a global roster that now exceeds 600 accredited entities. AAHRPP separately confirmed reaccreditation for five additional organizations, underscoring continued renewal activity within its existing accredited network.

Knoxville, Tenn. – September 20, 2026 -- The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Haslam College of Business rose four places to No. 15 among U.S. public business schools in the Bloomberg Businessweek Best Business Schools Rankings 2026-27. Nationally, Haslam climbed to No. 39, also up four spots from 2025.

Haslam's learning experience score jumps 38 places nationally

Among public institutions, Haslam ranked No. 4 for learning and networking, No. 6 for entrepreneurship and No. 17 for compensation. Nationally, the school placed No. 5 for learning experience, a 38-spot leap from 2025, and No. 10 for networking, up 11 places. Entrepreneurship rose to No. 17 nationally, a 15-spot gain, while compensation improved three spots to No. 43.

Tallahassee – September 19, 2026 -- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has released the state's initial list of short-term workforce training programs eligible for the new federal Workforce Pell Grant, a Trump Administration initiative extending federal financial aid to non-degree credentials tied directly to employment.

Federal aid now covers short-term credentials tied to labor demand

The Workforce Pell Grant funds programs that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations, with some credentials completable in as little as 8 weeks. Eligibility is determined using two existing state tools: the Targeted Occupations List managed by FloridaCommerce and the CareerSource Florida Master Credential List.

Pittsburgh -- September 17, 2026 -- Duquesne University formally inaugurated Dr. David J. Dausey as its 14th president on Sept. 17, drawing nearly 1,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests to UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse as the institution approaches its 150th anniversary in 2028.

Board chair invests Dausey with historic 1931 presidential medallion

Duquesne Board of Directors Chair Diane Hupp presented Dausey with the University's presidential medallion, first commissioned in 1931, mounting it on a newly designed chain of office intended to carry the names of future presidents. Dausey is the first president to wear the medallion in this new format. The ceremony, themed 'Enduring Mission. Emerging Pathways,' included a nearly 300-person academic procession featuring more than 30 delegates from other colleges and universities.

St. Paul – September 19, 2026 -- Rasmussen University, part of American Public University System, will confer credentials on nearly 6,200 graduates during its 2026 Minnesota Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, marking the institution's third and final commencement of the year.

Graduates span 32 states and eight academic disciplines

Attendees registered for the in-person ceremony represent 32 states and Washington, D.C., underscoring the university's national student base despite operating 20 physical campuses. The Class of 2025-2026 completed programs across nursing, health sciences, business, education, human services, justice studies, design and technology. Nearly 20% of graduates are earning a second or additional degree from Rasmussen, pointing to sustained demand for repeat credentialing among working adults.

San Diego – September 19, 2026 -- Regpack, an online registration and payment platform used by thousands of organizations, has rolled out a QR code and PIN-based attendance tracking system designed to secure child pick-up at camps, schools and after-school programs.

Each family receives a unique QR code and PIN per child at registration

The code works for every pick-up and is checked against the authorized contacts listed on that child's record. Every release is logged with the name of the person collecting the child and the exact time of pick-up.

Staff verify unfamiliar adults through photo confirmation and parent messaging

Adults without a QR code can message parents directly through the platform, or parents can leave a note on the child's profile authorizing the pick-up. Students must recognize any additional person collecting them, and staff are required to send a photo of the child with the adult to parents before release.