Lumina Foundation is working to increase the share of adults in the U.S. labor force with college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.
For many decades, U.S. colleges have offered unparalleled education and research opportunities to students all over the world. During the 2023-24 academic year, 1.1 million international students attended college stateside—an all-time high.
That may be changing. While the Trump administration continues its assault on elite colleges like Columbia University and Harvard, smaller, lesser-known institutions that have thrived in part by attracting students from outside the United States are bracing themselves for an uncertain future.
Support for science—from the public and politicians on either side of the aisle—has scarcely wavered in the past few decades. But over the past two months, as federal research grants are yanked, paused, capped, and canceled by the Trump administration, many scientists fear they’ve taken those subsidies for granted.
Meghan Gallo is working to elevate the public perception of science. She's part of a budding movement of researchers who are devoting fresh attention to scientific communication. They’re collecting anecdotes on the impacts of cuts, building social media followings, advocating in news outlets and legislatures, and talking plainly with nonacademic friends about why research matters.
As colleges look for ways to engage and retain students, they’re placing new emphasis on campus design.
Instead of simply providing classroom space, higher education institutions are thinking about the ways they can prepare students to take the next step in their careers. With that, experts say, comes a need to get off campus, collaborate with peers, and design flexible spaces that will grow with both the student population and the programs that a college offers.
In a bold call to action reminiscent of the 1960s space race, a new report challenges the United States to launch a coordinated national strategy for higher education to ensure America's continued global competitiveness and national security.
The report, from a coalition convened by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, identifies urgent talent shortages in sectors essential to national strength—healthcare, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, education, and engineering. Without a coordinated response, the report warns, these gaps could result in $1.75 trillion in unrealized economic activity.
When students at Monroe Community College experience homelessness, they often meet with Nicole Meyer. Since 2023, Meyer has been the homeless liaison at the two-year public institution in Rochester, New York, which is within the State University of New York system.
Nearly two years ago, SUNY required each of its 64 colleges to designate a person to serve as a homeless liaison on their campuses—part of a nationwide movement fueled by a growing recognition that many students experience homelessness during their college years, experts say.
Real-time labor market data and research have become a guiding force in workforce development, helping stakeholders navigate today's ever-evolving skills landscape.
On this podcast, Matt Sigelman of The Burning Glass Institute discusses the rapid evolution of skills, the growing importance of lifelong learning, and how workforce systems can adapt to these changes, including the need for better training infrastructure and a focus on career progression.
