For nine years, Inside higher education Before the four-year hiatus, an annual forecast list called the “In and Out List” was released. It’s over now. In a previous issue, IHE staff called 2020 “a hell of a year” and “a tough year for higher education.”
Well, that was then.
In many ways, 2025 has pushed higher education to the brink, as the Trump administration finds new ways to maintain control of universities, crack down on international students and pursue reforms long sought by conservatives.
At the same time, financial problems continue to squeeze institutional budgets, state legislators are increasingly involved in curriculum decisions, and bachelor’s degree holders are seeing worsening employment outcomes, in part because more colleges are embracing generative artificial intelligence.
As another year approaches, colleges and universities are bracing for more upheaval as they grapple with the new normal. Time and 2026 will tell whether the industry is resilient enough to do this.
Below, we take a look back at the rollercoaster ride of 2025 and make very loose predictions about what the future may hold. Happy 2026.
