The 2026 Growth Strategy Higher Ed Needs Right Now
Why Playing It Safe Is the Riskiest Strategy
The convergence of changing demographics, economic volatility and the relentless disruption of AI presents every leader with a stark choice: drive transformative growth or manage a legacy of decline. The choice is yours.
The era of steady traditional enrollment is over. Beginning in 2026, most institutions will confront a lasting decline in their core undergraduate market. At the same time, public faith in higher education’s value is weakening, leaving institutions to rebuild trust through proof, not promises.
Findings from EducationDynamics’ 2026 Landscape of Higher Education Report highlight a critical truth: volatility is the new normal and transformation is no longer optional.
Growth in this new era demands more than adaptation—it demands reinvention. Institutions must lead with strategy, act with urgency and build around the Modern Learner. Because in a market defined by disruption, there are only two paths forward: reinvent or risk irrelevance.
Key Takeaway #1: An Unstable Economic and Employment Landscape
Economic volatility is rising as job creation slows, and uncertainty spreads. The workforce is growing more cautious than ambitious, and in this climate, the traditional promise of a college degree is under siege.
College graduates still enjoy higher employment rates, yet public faith in that value is eroding. The perception gap is widening, and institutions can no longer rely on reputation alone to carry their story.
This is the moment to lead with proof, not platitude.
Institutions must demonstrate return on investment with clarity and consistency. Publish outcomes data. Showcase alumni success. Connect every program to real career mobility. This isn’t just about convincing students, it’s about rebuilding trust across the entire ecosystem of alumni, employers, policymakers and the public.
In today’s economy, outcomes are the new currency of reputation. The institutions that clearly and consistently prove their value will be the ones that grow.
Key Takeaway #2: A Radically Transformed Enrollment Environment
Institutions now operate in a fundamentally different enrollment landscape. The long-anticipated demographic cliff is no longer a future threat; it’s here. The 2025 cycle marked the high-water mark for traditional-aged undergraduates. From 2026 on, institutions will face a sustained and irreversible decline in their core market.
But this doesn’t have to be a crisis. It’s an opportunity to pivot and capture where growth has moved. The new lifeblood of higher education lies in:
- Adult learners seeking rapid reskilling in a volatile economy
- Dual-enrollment students accelerating their path to a degree
- “Some college, no credential” learners returning to finish what they started
The lines between traditional and nontraditional students have disappeared. These aren’t separate segments—they’re one unified audience shaping the future of higher education.
Leaders who continue to operate with outdated distinctions risk designing strategies for a market that no longer exists. Modern Learners value cost, convenience and career outcomes—and they expect institutions to deliver all three.
This is the moment to retire the old playbook, embrace a new mindset and build for the learner who’s already redefining what comes next.
Key Takeaway #3: AI Is an Unmistakable Force with Far-Reaching Implications
AI is accelerating change across every dimension of higher education, from how institutions engage to how graduates build careers.
While the technology itself isn’t new, its rapid integration is rewriting the rules. AI has fractured the traditional recruitment funnel. Modern Learners use AI-powered tools to search, compare and evaluate options before they reach an institution’s website. The student journey is now self-directed, hyper-personalized and constantly evolving, demanding that marketing and enrollment teams adapt in real time.
But AI’s impact extends far beyond recruitment. Its growing influence in the workforce is forcing institutions to rethink their academic mission. Institutions that lead will design education for the AI era by combining technical fluency with human-centered skills such as creativity, critical thinking and ethics.
Key Takeaway #4: A Mandate for Transformative Leadership
Incrementalism is now the greatest risk. In an age of constant disruption, small adjustments and siloed strategies hinder growth. The institutions that succeed will lead with clarity, agility and a unified vision centered on the Modern Learner.
Sustained growth demands leadership that acts decisively across three dimensions:
- Align program portfolios with high-growth sectors. Move beyond tradition-bound curriculums. Invest in programs that meet labor-market demand and retire those that no longer serve a clear purpose.
- Unify brand and enrollment strategies. The boundaries between undergraduate, graduate and online student populations are disappearing. Institutions must speak with one voice and focus on the three factors that drive every learner’s decision: cost, convenience and career outcomes.
- Lead the conversation on value and outcomes. Public trust cannot be rebuilt through messaging alone. It must be earned through transparency, data and measurable results.
This is the moment that will define the next decade of higher education. The difference between survival and sustainable growth hinges on decisive, informed action. Leaders must either seize this moment to shape the future or watch their institutions be defined by it.
From Insight to Action: Ten Strategic Imperatives for Sustainable Growth
The era of incremental adjustment is over. Conviction is now the currency of leadership. This moment demands bold leadership and a decisive strategy that converts disruption into a roadmap for measurable growth.
The EducationDynamics’ 2026 Landscape of Higher Education Report delivers that roadmap. Our Ten Strategic Imperatives are pragmatic, research-driven levers designed to help your institution build resilience and sustainable momentum for 2026 and beyond.
Imperative #1: Prove Outcomes. Protect Reputation.
Publish transparent results and illustrate career alignment to help students understand program value.
Imperative #2: Market ROI Relentlessly.
Lead with affordability and clearly communicate a projected and proven return on investment.
Imperative #3: Capture the Dual Enrollment Surge.
Build structured high school-to-degree pipelines.
Imperative #4: Own the Adult Learner Market.
Offer flexible, online and stackable options with the support working learners need to balance their multiple priorities.
Imperative #5: Prioritize Accessibility through the Three C’s.
Deliver education that meets learners on cost, convenience and career outcomes.
Imperative #6: Lead in Responsible AI Adoption.
Optimize marketing for AI discoverability and AI powered platforms, while Integrating AI into advising, engagement and instruction.
Imperative #7: Reinvent Vulnerable Disciplines.
Reframe liberal arts around adaptability and skills attainment.
Imperative #8: Re-engage the Stopped-Out Majority.
Convert the 43 million with some college, no credentials into completers through credit recovery, tailored pathways and adult-first design.
Imperative #9: Stack Credentials into Careers.
Link short-term certificates to degree pathways.
imperative #10: Advocate for Policy Stability.
Simplify aid communication and push for predictable funding.
Together, these imperatives form a blueprint for how higher education can evolve from reactive adaptation to proactive growth.
Transform Disruption into Growth
The time for caution has passed. Those who hesitate or fail to act with purpose will fall behind in a marketplace that does not wait.
At EducationDynamics, we partner with colleges and universities prepared to lead this transformation—those who understand that meeting the Modern Learner where they are is not just an enrollment strategy but the new mission of higher education.
For deeper insights and actionable strategies, download the full 2026 Landscape of Higher Education Report and learn how your institution can stay ahead of the curve.