Under Pressure: What’s Keeping Presidents Up at Night in 2026
See how presidents are responding to financial volatility, political interference, rapid advances in AI & more.
Presidents and their institutions are navigating immediate financial and political pressures while simultaneously pursuing innovation to ensure long-term relevance, according to the newly-released Inside Higher Ed/Hanover Research 2026 Survey of Colleges and University Presidents. Drawing on survey findings and a panel of experts, the live webcast will examine:
How presidents assess the second Trump administration’s impact on higher education
Which emerging or evolving educational models they plan to add or expand in the coming years
How effective they believe higher education has been in shaping national conversations arout AI
The issues presidents expect will have the greatest impact on higher education by 2030
Register for the live discussion and bring your own questions for the panelists.
Even if you can’t attend live, sign up to receive a recording and other information to help guide decision-making at your institution.
📊 To get the most out of the webcast, download and explore the full survey results.
Additional resources:
- Presidents on Risks and Opportunities: "What if Colleges Experimented at the Edges?"
- Presidents on the Financial Outlook: "Presidents Pressured in Trump’s Second Term"
- Presidents on Mergers and Acquisitions: "The Colleges That Couldn’t Survive 2025" + "ED Plans to Ease Merger Pathways"
- Presidents on Trump 2.0: "4 Takeaways From Trump’s First Year in Office" + "New Accreditation Rules Could Open ‘Can of Worms’ in Higher Ed, Experts Say"
- Presidents on Rebuilding Trust: "Presidents Puzzled on Rebuilding Public Trust in Higher Ed"
- Presidents on Campus Speech: "A How-To Guide for Handling Campus Speech Controversies" + "Most Conservative Students Don’t Feel Persecuted on Campus"
- Presidents on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: "ED’s DEI Guidance Is Dead, but Trump’s Crackdown Isn’t"
- Presidents on Artificial Intelligence: "AI Pushing Students to Consider Changing Majors" + US AI Summit
- Presidents on Environmental Sustainability: "A Town-Gown Partnership Focused on Climate Resilience"
- Presidents on Campus Health and Wellness: "Student Mental Health Challenges Persist"
- Presidents on Management, Governance + Being a President: "The Big Ten’s Revolving Door"
- "Rooted in Mission and Values: A Guide for Advancing Access, Opportunities and Outcomes in Higher Education"
