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As higher education enters a period of profound change, institutions are being challenged to rethink how they define value, reach students and prepare graduates for what comes next. This session will help leaders look beyond today’s headlines to better understand the forces already reshaping the future of higher education. You will learn:

  • Higher education is entering a defining decade shaped by demographic pressure, economic uncertainty and the accelerating influence of AI, all of which are changing how institutions compete and grow.
  • Student expectations are shifting rapidly, with affordability, flexibility, convenience and return on investment now central to how learners evaluate higher education.
  • Career relevance matters more than ever. Institutions that clearly connect academic offerings to real outcomes will be better positioned to build trust and stand out in a crowded market.
  • AI is transforming both discovery and delivery, influencing how students search for institutions while also raising the bar for the skills and fluency graduates will need in the workforce.
  • The path forward belongs to institutions that act with clarity and intention, making strategic, data-informed decisions that strengthen relevance, resilience and long-term performance.

Following this webinar, you will leave with a clearer view of what's changing, why it matters and what institutions must do now to remain competitive.




Meet The Speakers:

Elizabeth Palmer

Elizabeth Palmer

Senior Director

EY Parthenon

Elizabeth is a Senior Director in EY-Parthenon’s New York office and a member of the Education Practice. Her clients span the education landscape and include colleges and universities, service providers, and investors. After joining Parthenon as an Associate, Elizabeth was a Teach for America corps member in Brooklyn, where she taught 5th grade math. Since rejoining EY-Parthenon in 2016, she has focused on the higher education sector and has supported institutions in driving greater financial sustainability and outcomes through projects focused on strategic and financial planning, growth strategy, and organizational effectiveness.

Kate Kruger

Kate Kruger

Partner/Principal

EY Parthenon

Kate is a Partner/Principal in EY-Parthenon’s Education Practice, based in the greater Boston area. She specializes in growth strategy, market assessments, and commercial due diligence. Her clients include education-focused companies, universities, and private equity firms. She focuses on market opportunities for technology and service vendors in K12, higher education and corporate training, in areas such as back-office software, publishing and curriculum, assessment, data analytics, enrichment, and online education. She has also led a number of operational improvement engagements for education companies and universities.

Tracy Kreikemeier

Tracy Kreikemeier

Chief Relationship Officer

EducationDynamics

As Chief Relationship Officer for EducationDynamics, Tracy works with our incredible team to drive enrollment growth for schools. She helps develop strategy and drive performance to ensure our college and university partners exceed enrollment goals. With over 20 years of education marketing experience, Tracy has been an integral part of the continued evolution of education marketing strategy. Tracy enjoys sharing what she has learned with the higher education community and is a regular speaker at higher education and marketing conferences, including conferences hosted by UPCEA and the American Marketing Association.

Higher education is not easing into change. It is being reshaped in real time.

Demographic shifts are compressing traditional pipelines. Economic pressure is forcing harder questions about value. AI is redefining how students search, decide and prepare for the workforce. Together, these forces are not incremental; they’re structural.

The institutions that succeed will not be the ones that react fastest. They will be the ones that see clearly, act decisively and align strategy across reputation, enrollment and outcomes.