2026 Survey of College and University Presidents

Uncover the challenges, fears, and opportunities leaders face amid political, financial, and enrollment pressures.

Inside Higher Ed's 2026 Survey of College and University Presidents reveals that institutional leaders are being forced to address increasingly complex pressures from enrollment fluctuations, financial volatility, challenges to their reputations, technological innovations like AI, and more as they pursue long-term growth and innovation strategies. While many remain optimistic about near-term financial stability, confidence in their 10-year outlook is dropping. Why? And how can your institution approach these issues head on to improve long-term viability?

Download your copy of the survey today to see how institutional leaders are approaching the future of higher education.

Some key survey findings include:

• Financial volatility (45%) and political interference (43%) were listed as the fastest-growing risks to their institutions.
• 51% of respondents launched public trust initiatives in the last year—primarily public efforts emphasizing institutional value and individual student return on investment.
• 71% of respondents said they have established an institution-wide AI task force or strategy—up from 52% last year and 18% in 2024.

For more insights on the challenges facing higher education and how institutional leaders are tackling them, download the full 2026 survey report.

You can also watch the accompanying webinar, Under Pressure: What’s Keeping Presidents Up at Night in 2026, here.