The Key with Inside Higher Ed

The ongoing uncertainty in the economy, the government demanding enormous sums from Ivy League institutions, research funding freezes and changes to the endowment tax mean that everyone has their mind on higher ed’s money and higher ed’s money on their mind. Kara Freeman, president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers joins Inside Higher Ed's editor in ch...

This series of Voices of Student Success focuses on adult learners in higher education, the various challenges they face and successful support mechanisms to aid their retention and completion.   Credit for prior learning (CPL) is one strategy colleges and states can employ to expedite adult learners’ progress toward degree and promote student success. Past research also shows that students’ who t...

In this episode, we’re bringing you a conversation between Inside Higher Ed’s senior editor for special content Colleen Flaherty and Stephanie Moore, an associate professor in organization, information and learning sciences, at the University of New Mexico, from the Digital Universities event in Salt Lake City earlier this year. A leading researcher in online learning, Moore addresses what she see...

This series of Voices of Student Success focuses on adult learners in higher education, the various challenges they face and successful support mechanisms to aid their retention and completion. An estimated one in five college students has dependents, and research shows that parenting students are more likely to experience basic needs insecurity in their pursuit of a degree. A 2024 survey by Trell...

The second Trump administration will mark its six-month birthday on Sunday July 20, so in this episode of The Key, we’re checking in on the federal policy beat. IHE news editor Katherine Knott joins editor in chief Sara Custer to discuss the big changes in store for the sector now that congress has passed the Big Beautiful Bill and when the new policies will start to take effect–a potentially diff...

This series of Voices of Student Success focuses on adult learners in higher education, the various challenges they face and successful support mechanisms to aid their retention and completion.   Research shows that adults often enter college with a goal in mind, such as a career pivot, further education in their current industry or completion of a degree they previously started,. But returning to...

“Innovation” is one of those buzzwords that means everything and nothing. “Culture” is even harder to pin down. But in this episode of The Key, Inside Higher Ed’s news and analysis podcast, senior editor for special content Colleen Flaherty speaks with two people working hard to foster both on their campuses. In a panel discussion at the recent Digital Universities US event in Salt Lake City, Coll...

This series of Voices of Student Success focuses on adult learners in higher education, the various challenges they face and successful support mechanisms to aid their retention and completion.   Over 820,000 undergraduates are connected to the U.S. military, including those who are actively serving or enlisted in the National Guard,  former service members and spouses or dependents of military se...

Throughout the first half of the year several colleges have announced hiring freezes and budget cuts in response to the Trump administration’s slashing of federal researching funding and general financial instability across the sector.  And these cuts come after years of stagnating pay for faculty and staff. A recent CUPA HR analysis of salary data shows that across higher ed, employees are still...

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes.  As climate disasters become more frequent and severe, more institutions are investing in programs to address environmental changes and prepare students to engage in green careers.  Clark Univer...

Anxiety and depression are on the rise among college students driven, in part, by pressures to balance academics with personal, economic and family responsibilities. In this episode of The Key, Inside Higher Ed’s news and analysis podcast, two mental health leaders talk about how the current political climate and economic uncertainty are exacerbating the existing mental health challenges on campus...

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes.  A workshop series at George Mason University in Virginia helps build students’ practical knowledge and well-being by giving them life advice and skills, such as how to change a tire. The progra...

Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, the American Council on Education has been early out of the gate in responding to the federal government’s onslaught of funding freezes, executive orders and threats to institutions. In February, ACE along with the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and other institutions sued the gove...

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes. Encouraging students to engage with people who they disagree with can be a challenge for many in higher education. A class at the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies p...

Whether you’re a die-hard fan, sports curios or someone who sees college athletics as a very expensive distraction, you should know about the fundamental changes to NCAA policies because they will have profound impacts on institutions, students and even the future of U.S. Olympic teams. To help us make sense of the latest developments including name, image and likeness earnings, the transfer porta...

Inside Higher Ed’s editor in chief, Sara Custer, speaks with IHE’s news editor Katherine Knott and reporters Liam Knox and Johanna Alonso about the executive orders, funding cuts and visa revocations of the last three months that have sent shockwaves through the higher education sector.   Read more of Inside Higher Ed's coverage of Trump's first 100 days.     This episode is sponsored by Strada Ed...

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes. The latest episode, featuring Handshake’s chief educational officer Christine Cruzvergara, discusses the current job market, graduating seniors’ perceptions of launching their careers and the ro...

In this episode of The Key, we turn the tables on host Sara Custer, editor in chief at Inside Higher Ed as she joins David Hummels, professor of economics and dean emeritus at Purdue University, and Jay Akridge, trustee chair in teaching and learning excellence, professor of agricultural economics and former provost at Purdue, in conversation with host Colleen Flaherty, senior editor, special cont...

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes. The latest episode addresses how digitalization has made it easier for young people to engage in unhealthy habits, including substance abuse, pathological gambling or social media addiction, com...

Many college leaders turned to civil discourse and dialogue programs in response to students protests that roiled campuses after the start of the Israel Hamas war. It’s work that they have been doing for decades, but a big question around these programs is: how do we know they’re working?   That question led to Raj Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, an 80-year old non...

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes. This episode focuses on the world of work and how experiential learning can provide students with a glimpse into professional careers and what they don’t know about work.   Jane Swift , presiden...

We’ve turned the page on the third month of the Trump administration and the White House has shown no signs of slowing down when it comes to actions that have direct impacts on higher education in this country. Linda McMahon was confirmed as education secretary and has made quick work of shrinking the size and influence of her department. At the same time the agency opened investigations into repo...

There are a few elements of the student lifecycle in higher education that are unavoidable, one being general education courses. While a majority of college students are unaware of support resources or unlikely to engage with all of them , each student must fulfill common core curriculum.   For over a decade, the University of Louisville has offered an Oral Communication Success Guide for students...

People across higher education are calling on college presidents to speak out against the onslaught of threats and funding caught imposed by the Trump administration. But that is just one kind of leadership. Jorge Burmicky, assistant professor in education leadership and policy studies in the school of education at Howard University, joins Sara Custer, editor in chief at Inside Higher Ed, for this...

Mental health is one of the greatest threats to student persistence and retention in higher education, but providing large-scale preventative and responsive mental health care is a looming challenge for colleges and universities.   In addition to having sufficient clinicians and trained professionals to support students in need, finding ways to deliver wellness support to students before they’re i...