Explore exclusive insights from the 2026 Survey of College and University Chief Academic Officers to learn what these campus leaders are saying about working in academic affairs today.
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Inside Higher Ed’s 2026 Survey of College and University Chief Academic Officers was conducted by Hanover Research. The survey included 376 college and university chief academic officers, mostly from public and private nonprofit institutions, for a margin of error of 4.7%. Click the Download button above to access the full survey results.
On Wednesday, October 21, at 2 p.m. E.T., Inside Higher Ed will present a free webcast featuring expert panelists to discuss the survey findings and what it takes to lead in academic affairs in today’s rapidly shifting postsecondary landscape.
The independent 2026 Survey of College and University Chief Academic Officers was made possible by support from Honorlock and Watermark.
In this year’s survey, provosts share perspectives on:
- How they would rate their institution’s academic health, the value of general education and the liberal arts, and what stands in the way of expanding work-integrated learning
- The strength of the U.S. university research enterprise over the next decade
- The state of the traditional tenure system from an academic leadership perspective, including with respect to academic freedom
- The potential impact of the planned federal accreditation overhaul on higher education
- AI’s return-on-investment so far, in areas such as individual employee productivity, teaching and learning, and research