Following a series of discussions and decisions over the past several months related to both the future of Georgia Tech Savannah, strategies related to professional education, and the evolution of “distance learning” in higher education, President G. P. "Bud" Peterson has approved an organizational name change, shortening the former Distance Learning and Professional Education to Georgia Tech Professional Education.

In making the recommendation to the president, Provost Rafael L. Bras cited a desire to support lifelong learning, providing opportunities that both individuals and industries need for growth and development.

"The focus of the organization is to provide professional development and education for the workforce along a continuum of one’s life, in credit and non-credit academic programs, using Georgia Tech expertise and supporting Georgia Tech’s mission," Bras wrote. "The name Georgia Tech Professional Education seems most fitting to convey this direction."

The head of the organization, currently Dr. Nelson Baker, will be titled as the Dean of Professional Education.

“With the rapidly changing content and context in the workplace, Georgia Tech's professional education programs are designed, in partnership with our faculty, to keep individuals and organizations globally competitive," he said. "Through ongoing research, we’re continually looking ahead to anticipate what individual learners and industries need to know next and identify how we can best help them acquire and apply that knowledge. Over the past year, we have touched more than 13,000 individuals, representing more than 3,100 organizations around the world. We are excited about our future growth and impact.”