April 23, 2026
From Momentum to Meaning: What Higher Education Leaders Are Focusing on Now
By Dr. Michael McCormick, Vice President, Innovation & Technology
I’m leaving the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit energized by the conversations and perspectives shared across the higher education community. More than that, I’m leaving with a clearer sense that higher education is entering a new phase, one defined less by exploration and more by execution.
A few themes stood out.
1. AI is shifting from experimentation to outcomes
Artificial intelligence remains at the center of nearly every conversation, but the tone has changed.
The question is no longer: What tools should we be exploring?
But rather: What outcomes are we enabling?
Institutions are moving beyond pilots and proofs of concept and towards real applications that impact student success, operational efficiency and decision-making.
In one example we’ve experienced at Dynamic Campus, an institution used AI to enhance its enrollment forecasting, building on a strong foundation of governed, reliable data. What had previously taken weeks of manual analysis was reduced to hours, with projections accurate within a narrow range of a few students.
That level of speed and precision is not just an operational improvement. It changes how leaders make decisions, from staffing and resource allocation to program investment.
This shift brings with it a new level of urgency and complexity as AI is only as effective as the data, governance and leadership alignment behind it.
The institutions that will move forward most effectively are those building the foundation to support AI at scale, not just experimenting at the edges. More directly, the importance of moving from AI experimentation to committing to AI as an institutional strategy has never been more important.
2. Pressure is accelerating structural change
Market dynamics and evolving regulatory expectations are not just influencing strategy; they are forcing it. Institutional leaders report challenges not only related to internal change management, but also archaic standards imposed by federal, state and local regulators.
Leaders are navigating increased scrutiny around outcomes, cost and transparency, while also responding to shifting enrollment patterns and financial pressures. In that environment, innovation is no longer optional.
One idea that surfaced repeatedly was the concept of a success-based model where institutional structures, incentives and measurements are more directly tied to student outcomes.
That kind of shift requires more than new programs. It requires rethinking how institutions operate at a fundamental level.
3. The value conversation is being reframed
Questions about the value of higher education are not new, but they are becoming more pointed. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that institutions play a critical role in preparing students for a world increasingly shaped by AI. This is seen through increased regulatory requirements, and reporting requirements on outcomes (e.g., lifetime earnings compared to debt incurred).
The differentiator is not just job placement. It’s the ability to develop adaptable, critical thinkers who can navigate constant change.
Institutions that embrace a more holistic view of student development, combining academic, personal and career readiness, are better positioned to demonstrate their value in this environment.
Moving forward with clarity
What stood out most to me across these conversations is that higher education is not lacking ideas. What’s needed now is alignment.
The institutions making the most progress are the ones bringing leadership, data and technology into sharper focus around a defined set of priorities. They’re making clearer choices about where to invest, where to streamline and where to move with urgency. Governance, process and platform unification, as well as enterprise wide strategy remain foundational, with being one catalyst to accelerate progress.
The next phase of progress will not be defined by how much institutions take on, but by how effectively they execute against the ones that matter most.
At Dynamic Campus, we partner with higher education leaders to bring that focus into practice, aligning technology, data and strategy so institutions can move forward with clarity and purpose.
For more information on how institutions partner with us, email us at info@dynamiccampus.com or click the button below.
Dynamic Campus has served as a strategic partner for higher education institutions since 2002, enabling and accelerating success by helping transform technology processes and platforms.
