A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCATION, ACCESS AND INNOVATION

A Bold Vision for Washington

UW Continuum College believes everyone deserves education to thrive in an ever-changing world. 

Continuum has been an integral part of the University of Washington for more than 100 years. Going beyond traditional higher education, Continuum aims to ensure everyone can access UW’s excellence and resources — and use their UW education to positively impact the community and world.  

Today, Continuum is mobilizing to achieve a bold vision for the future: The state of Washington has an equitable and inclusive postsecondary education ecosystem that fosters a sense of belonging and ensures all residents attain the education they need to thrive.   

Points of Impact

Continuum focuses its programs and activities across four strategic areas, all rooted in the belief that belonging matters. 

Together, these areas of work leverage Continuum’s strengths and fuel the college’s drive to make immediate and long-term, meaningful impacts on society.

Professional Development

Continuum helps learners at any stage in life find a path forward.

Working professionals want to quickly gain new knowledge they can use to succeed in a rapidly shifting society. At the same time, many adult students must juggle competing demands when it comes to life, family, work and learning. 

That’s why Continuum partners with industry leaders to develop and deliver education and training that creates new pathways to economic stability and improved overall well-being. 

Continuum provides:

• Broad access to high-quality UW education, including certificates, specializations, courses, and undergraduate and graduate degrees
• Education in flexible formats designed to be effective, convenient and accessible for working professionals
• Programs that respond to evolving economies and meet the needs of career changers, working professionals, returning students, people reentering the workforce and others who want to advance their careers

What’s new and next:

• New, stackable and in-demand professional programs 
• Career-development workshops for students and alumni 

Access Through Innovation

Continuum believes everyone deserves equitable access to the opportunities a UW education can provide. That’s why Continuum works to understand who today’s students are, how they learn and how to innovatively deliver the education they want and need.  

For decades, Continuum has proactively created accessible, effective learning experiences. With an eye toward the future, Continuum has imagined — and re-imagined — how tech innovations impact the workforce and pathways to learning. 

Continuum pushes boundaries to:

• Attract and support a diverse community of learners as they achieve their educational goals 
• Incorporate emerging and leading-edge approaches to access, teaching and technology 
• Design inclusive learning environments that intentionally consider accessibility, representation, cultural diversity, neurodiversity and geography 
• Deliver programs that engage new generations of youth and college-bound teens, active learners over age 50 and working professionals in emerging fields — expanding the reach and promise that comes with a UW education

What’s new and next:

• MyContinuum, a new online student application designed to improve the learner experience
• Expanded philanthropic partnerships to support scholarships, educational programs and technology innovations

Credential Attainment

Continuum understands that access to learning isn’t enough to meet today’s needs. More than one million Washington residents have completed some post-secondary education but have “dropped out” or “stopped out” before completing a degree or earning any kind of credential. 

That’s why Continuum works to ensure learners can realize the full benefits and value of their educational attainment. Continuum’s goal is two-fold: 1) to help more Washingtonians fully achieve their learning goals and 2) to ensure learners receive meaningful educational credentials that can help advance their careers and contribute to the state’s economic development. 

Through collaborations with UW academic partners and industry innovators, Continuum offers:

• Degree and non-degree pathways for learners to attain relevant and meaningful UW credentials that offer value in today’s workforce 
• Online and flexible in-person programs that help students break through educational barriers of cost, time and place and prepare for higher-paying jobs 
• A range of credentials that recognize the knowledge and professional skills learners gain through a UW education, including degrees, certificates and digital badges 

What’s new and next:

• Stronger collaborations with UW academic partners to enhance delivery of credit-bearing courses 
• Increased access through more group-paced, online learning programs  

Community Engagement

Responding to Washington’s most pressing challenges is at the heart of Continuum’s public mission.  

That’s why Continuum invests in a wide range of programs to support successful transitions for refugees and immigrants, engages first-generation students and responds to the workforce needs of local industries and regional employers.  

In addition to helping more people attain UW credentials, Continuum works to understand how these graduates can help Washington communities thrive. Continuum connects with communities to:

• Amplify local opportunities and help leaders prepare to make positive impacts in their communities 
• Listen to local voices and community changemakers to deliver UW resources, education and engagement programs that respond to today’s challenges 
• Learn how UW can help rural and marginalized communities achieve their goals, decrease isolation and foster belonging among aging populations, and nurture relevant, ongoing education for all 

What’s new and next:

• Community-engaged listening and community-informed collaborations with Othello-UW Commons 
• Expanded reach of programs through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW 
• Engagement opportunities for community members, industry leaders, alumni, donors, students and friends 

Strategic Planning

During FY25, Continuum will develop key outcomes, strategic objectives and related metrics to measure successful progress over the next three years and continue to align operations with the UW Diversity Blueprint. In the future, outcomes, objectives and metrics will be updated annually.