The world of higher education today is far different than the one of even five years ago. Institutions have seen enormous shifts concerning the face of the student population, the support services they require, the most effective strategies to engage and recruit them, and more. In this state of flux, many institutions are pursuing innovative strategies to thrive amid uncertain funding and to provide the support students need most.
Institutions are seeing a new student population—more adult and non-traditional learners are pursuing degrees, increasing the demand for flexible education models. At the same time, institutions are contending with a decrease in international students and an increase in underrepresented students who require distinct support services to attract them to campus and keep them enrolled through graduation. In order to keep their institutions thriving and well-known to prospective students and donors alike, colleges and universities are increasingly experimenting with their financial models and marketing strategies, changing the ways in which they have traditionally operated.
Hanover’s 2020 Trends in Higher Education report unpacks crucial shifts in higher education that are likely to affect most institutions, and provides strategies to help them evolve.