Higher ed’s warning light is flashing: What the 2026 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report reveals
The report should be read as a leadership document, not just a technology report
Higher education leaders often overlook major reports because the sector is already overwhelmed by reports, dashboards, compliance notices, strategic plans, and technology forecasts.
Top Stories
The AI literacy paradox: Why students feel unprepared for the AI-driven workforce
Colleges and universities nurture student development by offering thousands of learning opportunities, and for most, the experience makes it possible to pursue meaningful careers.
AI is reshaping entry-level work and the talent pipeline
While entry-level hiring is not disappearing entirely, AI is beginning to influence the work traditionally assigned to early career professionals and is increasing expectations for what entry-level workers can produce from day one, according to a new report.
Aligning AI with pedagogy, privacy, and outcomes
In a peer-reviewed study at Los Angeles Pacific University, students using a pedagogically-aligned AI assistant saw a 20 percent increase in GPA, a 13 percent increase in final scores, and a 36 percent increase in intrinsic motivation to learn.
Designing for finals: How campus shapes the way students work
Finals week is often treated as a question of whether there is enough study space on campus. Are there enough quiet seats, extended library hours, and places to concentrate?
To support the American workforce, prepare students for a future reshaped by climate change
At this moment, the American workforce faces immense challenges: AI, demographic changes, and lagging academic achievement, to name only a few. To tackle these challenges, states need a future-focused strategy that expands opportunities.
This is the last “old” college admissions cycle
When 5W started working with higher ed clients, the college search playbook ran on a predictable rhythm. Viewbooks, campus tours, search name purchases, Common App funnel management, a tight paid-media plan, and a frantic spring yield push.
She passed high school math with A’s and B’s. In college, she had to start over.
Cecilia Lopez Alvarado was scrolling through Reddit one evening in her dorm room when she came across a thread about students at the University of California San Diego who struggled with basic math.
AI as a scaffold for learning: From access to judgment
Meaningful learning should not be about memorization or developing the ability to solve problems for which solutions are already known. Rather, it should focus on doing, experiencing, questioning and deciding, engaging with ideas in context, testing them against reality, and developing the ability to act thoughtfully under conditions of uncertainty.
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The Visual Edge: How High-Impact Technology Redefines Campus Differentiation and Enrollment Strategy
In the current higher education landscape, waning enrollment is still a present challenge. While overall enrollment numbers are showing signs of a rebound, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data indicates that undergraduate enrollment has yet to fully return to pre-pandemic levels.