Eduventures Summit 2026 is just one week away, and we look forward to seeing you in Chicago!
These are still far from normal times for higher education. Questions about value, politics, technology, and public trust remain unresolved. There is risk in overreacting to every controversy, but there is also risk in business as usual.
Read on for highlights from our Summit 2026 agenda, intentionally crafted to empower higher education leaders for this work.
Take the Initiative
There is risk in overstating the higher education confidence crisis. Americans may express frustration with higher education generally, but they still enroll themselves and their children. College graduate employment remains strong. And the loyalty Americans have for "their college" is as strong as ever.
However, there is also risk in business as usual.
Whether shoring up demand, strengthening outcomes, navigating politicization, embracing AI, or reconnecting with skeptical audiences, higher education leaders have their work cut out for them.
That is where Eduventures Summit comes in. Over three days, we will tackle some of the most strategic and contested topics at the top of higher education's to-do list.
- Class-Conscious Admissions. Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, has long argued that class-based alternatives offer a new path to diversity and opportunity. In a post-affirmative action era, his perspective could not be timelier.
- Higher Education, Workforce Development, and AI. Michael Horn, co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, will explore the shifting boundaries between higher education and workforce development as well as separate fact from fiction on AI in the classroom.
- Strategic Storytelling. Everyone says higher education needs to tell its story better. But storytelling is harder than it sounds. Kindra Hall, chief strategy officer at Steller Collective — and parent of a high school freshman curious about college — will explain where routine higher education storytelling falls down and how institutions can reach new heights of authenticity and distinction.
- Managing the Political Climate. In turbulent times, cool heads are needed. Jonathan Martin, politics bureau chief and senior political columnist at POLITICO, returns after one of the best-received keynotes at Summit 2025. With the benefit of his insider perspective, Martin will make sense of contemporary federal politics, help higher education leaders sift symbolism from substance, and look ahead to the mid-term election.
- A New Campus Climate. Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America, will discuss how colleges and universities can foster dialogue and understanding in an era of ideological fracture. Making campuses cradles of respectful debate is vital if higher education is to navigate back to the center ground.
- America at 250. As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, Jane Kamensky, president and CEO of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, will reflect on history, identity, and the enduring relationship between higher education and the American experiment.
But the Keynotes Are Just the Beginning
As always, Eduventures analysts will break down the latest trends in traditional and non-traditional enrollment, providing perspectives and tools to help higher education leaders find smart ways forward.
Sessions from the Eduventures Research team range from the future of international enrollment and the challenge of improving institutional "aura" to launching new programs, understanding Gen Alpha, and reassessing the potential of online learning. Other presentations will tackle graduate education, changing student expectations, and where institutions should — and should not — be looking for growth.
Breakout sessions and panel discussions allow attendees to go deeper on many of the opportunities and pressures facing higher education.
The Bottom Line
These are far from normal times for higher education. But — away from the feverish headlines — higher education still has a great story to tell.
As we celebrate our nation's 250th anniversary, what better time to recommit to higher education's contribution to American exceptionalism through free inquiry, cutting-edge research, and access to opportunity? We must temper the din of politicization and remind disenchanted Americans that the rest of the world still regards our higher education system as second to none.
Tell our story better but also tell a better story.
There are no easy answers. But colleges and universities have leverage and staying power. Colleges and universities know how to balance continuity and change. All the stress and strain will lead to something new.
See you in Chicago!
