The Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education (OCPE) seeks to measurably improve the quality of life of the residents of New Jersey and beyond through education and public service.  Through the commitment and teamwork of our instructors and staff, we are dedicated to helping our society achieve a sustainable balance among the goals of human development, economic prosperity, and environmental quality. 

OCPE provides the highest quality opportunities for lifelong learning by building bridges between the needs of society and these resources of Rutgers University: the School of Environmental & Biological Sciences (formerly Cook College), the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) and Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE). With customer service as our focus, we actively seek to define educational and outreach needs and opportunities among current and potential customers.  On a self-supporting basis, we offer programs and services that add measurable value to the people and organizations that participate in them.

OCPE has become a nationwide leader in providing quality outreach and public service programs. By working closely with RCE, university faculty and staff, private industry and local, regional, and nationwide organizations, we have attracted a team of dedicated instructors who consistently exceed our customers' expectations. We strive to make quality and customer service the hallmark of our programs. 

Established in 1906 by Dr. E.B. Voorhees, OCPE has grown from serving 22 farmers in New Jersey to 15,000 professionals from around the world.  Our programs have expanded from the single area of agriculture technology in Dr. Voorhees' day to topics including green industries, environmental management, life sciences, public health and youth development. 

Looking ahead, OCPE will continue to develop programs to meet the educational demands of New Jersey's professionals and communities.  We will focus on these areas: food science and engineering; nutrition, health and safety; natural resources and the environment; and human and community resource development.  Regardless of the program topic, our customers' needs will remain at the center of our vision for the future.