The In-and-Out List: 2026 Edition

"In many ways, 2025 pushed higher ed to the brink as the Trump administration found new ways to assert control over universities, crack down on international students and seek reforms long sought by conservatives. At the same time, financial issues continue to squeeze institutions' budgets, state lawmakers are getting more involved in curriculum decisions, and bachelor's degree holders are seeing worsening employment outcomes in part due to generative AI, which more universities are embracing."

"For nine years, Inside Higher Ed published an annual list of predictions known as the In-and-Out List, before taking a four-year hiatus. That ends now. In the last edition, IHE staff called 2020 "a year from hell" and a "rough year for higher ed." Well, that was then. As another year looms, colleges and universities are bracing for yet more upheavals as they try to navigate the new normal. Time-and 2026-will tell whether the sector is resilient enough to do so."

2025 pushed higher education toward a crisis as federal actions increased oversight and influence over campus affairs. The Trump administration asserted new controls over universities, tightened policies affecting international students, and advanced conservative reform agendas. Financial strains continued to squeeze institutional budgets, forcing difficult choices for administrators. State lawmakers intensified involvement in curriculum decisions across multiple states. Employment outcomes for bachelor's degree holders worsened, partly due to the impact of generative AI on the labor market and the evolving skills employers seek. Many universities expanded use of generative AI in operations and instruction. Colleges and universities are preparing for further upheavals heading into 2026.

Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs