Three years into the pandemic, colleges and universities continue to adapt while making strategic decisions that are reshaping higher education for the long term. Institutions that stay current with evolving student and industry needs are positioned to not only survive but thrive in the years ahead.
Download our report, 2023 Trends in Higher Education, to learn the top trends and bold ideas shaping higher education in 2023–24:
- Career-focused learning flourishes in modernized, stackable formats
- Debt-free education captures attention
- Institutions rework financial models and revenue streams to attain sustainability
- Inclusion and support services build connection, acceptance, and success
- Increased marketing spending puts pressure on quantifiable results
“Colleges and universities are feeling an urgency to embrace alternative strategies and data-driven research to identify and solve systemic problems — not only for weathering today’s challenges but also for securing their place as an appealing, competitive destination for years to come.”
Embracing Change in Higher Education
Faced with financial, enrollment, and marketing challenges, institutional leaders are embracing new tuition, degree, and classroom models that move beyond decades of tradition. They’re addressing critical mental health and equity needs that are necessary to sustain a resilient and welcoming campus. And they are evolving their messaging to confidently champion the value of their educational experience, even as economic headwinds and public sentiment threaten to diminish the pursuit of a degree.
Hanover’s 2023 Trends in Higher Education report highlights new and continued priorities for the year, drawn from our higher education research and experience advising and collaborating with hundreds of institutions. The trends, recommendations, and case studies outlined in this report align with the formidable decisions higher education leaders face as they work to deliver their core services while anticipating what’s next.
“Today’s undergraduate and graduate students are accustomed to flexibility and digital-first models; a strategic, future-forward approach to their learning is key to elevating an institution’s brand and attracting more potential enrollees.”
