EAB IgnitED

EAB’s annual IgnitED summit will bring together presidents, provosts, chief business officers, and heads of strategy for presentations from EAB experts and working sessions with peers from other institutions.

Our 2025-2026 series will feature EAB’s new State of the Sector research, opportunities to network with peers and colleagues, and time to create action plans to bring new ideas back to campus.

Event Details

Audience: Sessions are limited to presidents, provosts, chief business officers, chiefs of staff, and heads of strategy. Registration for each session is limited to four attendees per institution.

Please note: The October 29-30 session is limited to R1 institutions, and the March 10-11 session is recommended for heads of strategy and chiefs of staff.

For travel planning: The meeting will commence at 12:00 p.m. on the first day and adjourn at 12:00 p.m. on the second day. Agenda details are forthcoming.

Expand each session below for information about meeting location, hotel accommodations, and reservations.

Agenda

Across the two days, we will share new EAB research and analyses of key trends shaping the higher education sector. Preview key themes we will explore through presentations and discussions below.

Navigating Policy Shocks in a Highly Volatile, Politicized Environment

How can campus leaders pursue long-term strategy when up against near-term political crossfire and ideological fault lines?

• Up-to-the-moment policy news and projections for long-term sector impacts regarding affordability, research funding, DEI mandates, and academic portfolios and accreditation
• Risk assessment of emerging threats to institutional autonomy—from growing authoritarianism and anti-intellectualism to direct political interference—and related mitigation tactics
• Messaging strategies to manage divisive “wedge” issues and build trust with policymakers and the broader public

Repositioning for a Post-Growth Future of Fewer Students and Bigger Financial Stakes

What bold moves will separate thriving institutions from those facing slow decline in an era of shrinking demand?

• Financial health and risk indicators, analyses of enrollment and revenue winners (and losers) across segments, and best-bet strategies to offset revenue declines
• Assessments of non-traditional competitors—online mega-giants, for-profits, trade schools—reshaping market dynamics
• Frameworks to assess tradeoffs and ROI when deciding whether to sustain, scale, or scale back athletics investments
• Sector contraction forecast with decision frameworks to assess “healthy” vs. “unhealthy” consolidation and viability analyses of key pathways (e.g., state-mandated closures, M&A, consortia)

Preparing for—and Shaping—the AI-Driven Transformation of the Knowledge Economy

How can universities guarantee their relevance as AI reshapes the future of jobs and skills?

• Historical and projected economic trends influencing the knowledge sector, higher ed workforce, and consumer behavior
• Job creation and loss patterns, along with new indicators of job readiness
• Credential innovations and program designs that embed AI-era human skills, align with changing student and employer expectations, and bolster higher education’s value proposition

Reimagining the Student Experience for a Tech-Saturated, Socially Isolated, Purpose-Seeking Generation

What does it mean to support and prepare students for life in a hyper-digital world?

• Analysis of student preferences on AI, online learning, climate, activism, and credentials, and an examination of shifting student decision-making patterns in an age of information overload and influencer culture
• Strategies for delivering authentic, relationship-driven experiences Gen Z craves in the classroom and across campus
• Insights on tech’s lasting effects on identity, belonging, trust, and socioemotional readiness

Driving Cultural and Organizational Change in a Time of Sector Upheaval

What does effective leadership look like when the market demands agility and speed, but tradition demands consensus?

• Frameworks to articulate a clear strategic direction that both inspires and constrains ambitions
• Protocols for digestible financial communications and forecasts tailored to non-experts
• Approaches for facilitating meaningful dialogue on difficult topics in shared governance settings
• Upward management tactics to keep boards engaged on the most critical strategic concerns

Testimonials

2024 attendees noted that convening with peers is a highlight of their EAB partnership:

• “It was extremely informative, and I loved connecting with colleagues. I will definitely be attending again and bringing more of my team.”
• “Always good to carve out time away from campus to deep dive into topics with EAB.”
• “Great event. Incredible info. Wonderful professional staff from support to presenters to leadership.”

View the 2024 IgnitED Agenda