Higher Ed in Crisis: Perspectives on Finance, Learning and Human Challenges

The Chronicle of Higher Education and Arizona State University convene a future-focused dialogue on the three forces most likely to shape higher education through 2030. In a fast-moving, double-moderated conversation, leaders examine where pressure is rising, which models are breaking, and what’s emerging to replace them.

• Financial — Rising costs, the limits of loan forgiveness, and new models to reduce student debt while keeping institutions financially viable.
• Learning — The move from seat time to outcomes, with AI as core learning infrastructure—powering assessment, guidance, and credential pathways aligned to work and mobility.
• Human — Belonging, mental health, equity, and the expectations of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, including working adults, caregivers, and learners under extreme conditions.

Moderated by The Chronicle’s Ian Wilhelm and ASU Provost Nancy Gonzales, this session blends national reporting, institutional innovation, and real-world case studies to surface what higher education must rethink now to remain credible, accessible, and human-centered in the decade ahead