Starting in 2025, there will be fewer students graduating from US high schools, and this trend is expected to continue until 2040. As a result, there will be less revenue available for institutions—unless they find new revenue streams or cut costs in substantial ways. So what can colleges and universities do to face this challenge head-on?

Embrace what has made your institution stand out

In the face of the impending enrollment cliff and escalating financial pressures—including inflation, rising interest rates, and challenging budget deficits—it is crucial for institutions to leverage the very strengths and accomplishments that have historically set them apart. Now more than ever, institutions must embrace and amplify their distinctive legacy, history, and achievements, reaffirming their value to prospective students, families, and communities.

Begin by rediscovering and articulating the foundational stories, successes, and traditions that have defined your institution’s identity. Highlight alumni achievements, groundbreaking research, community partnerships, and impactful contributions to society. Celebrate these successes publicly and frequently to remind stakeholders of your enduring impact and continued relevance.

To actively embrace what has made your institution stand out, start by:

• Conducting an institutional audit to clearly identify and document your unique strengths, historical milestones, and significant accomplishments
• Engaging alumni through storytelling and testimonials that vividly capture their transformative experiences and successes
• Showcasing impactful research projects and innovative programs that underscore your institution's role in advancing knowledge and addressing societal challenges
• Strengthening community connections by highlighting collaborative initiatives, local partnerships, and meaningful contributions to the regional economy and culture
• Reinforcing institutional traditions and rituals that resonate emotionally with current and prospective students, faculty, and alumni

By leaning into your institution’s rich heritage and proven excellence, you not only strengthen your position in the market but also fortify your foundation for sustainable success. Together, let's ensure your legacy is not only remembered but serves as the inspiration and blueprint for thriving through the challenges ahead.

Looking at your alumni as your differentiation, not your degrees

Anthology works with thousands of colleges and universities around the world, and when these institutions speak about what makes them different, in almost every case, it is about their programs, the way they engage with their students, or the work their faculty do in advancing knowledge. However, we don’t always hear much about the impact alumni are having in the business world, in their communities, and beyond. The value of your school’s alumni is a key differentiator for networking, business opportunities, and more. While bigger institutions have mastered alumni relations, smaller colleges and universities should take notice of the value of promoting the success of alumni as a differentiator.

To compete with other institutions for the same shrinking pool of incoming students, you must think about why a student would choose the competition over your institution. Start with highlighting the skills and attributes your graduates have before hitting the job market. Promote how your students are well-equipped to pursue their passions and make meaningful contributions to their communities. Showcase to the surrounding communities the value of having more of your graduates in the employment marketplace.

By focusing on why your college’s graduates are better than your competitors’, you are not only highlighting the true value of your institution’s education, you are also laying the foundation for increased retention and completion by setting the students’ goals for the future, showcasing the vision of successful and prosperous alumni. Learn more about how Anthology’s solutions can strengthen your alumni relations with Anthology® Raise.

Repackage your best programs with skills, badges, and stackable credentials

Your institution is already effective, and the programs you offer are well-defined and proven, as demonstrated by the success of your graduates. How do you take what makes your institution unique and package it for a modern delivery? The first step is to inventory the set of skills you expect your graduates to have when they complete your programs. Skills are quickly becoming the new currency for graduates in the marketplace. The traditional method of demonstrating learning was to offer a single degree at the end of a long academic journey, but this is no longer as effective as it once was. Modernizing the student journey to map the skills the students acquire throughout their coursework delivers immediate value to the student by showcasing skills mastery, as well as broader value to employers as they see the vast number of skills the student has picked up and honed alongside their pursuit of a degree.

Grouping skills into badges earned along the way will allow students to collect these achievements and further promote the unique skills and capabilities they bring to the workforce. It creates pride, a sense of accomplishment, and a consistent language all your graduates can reference when speaking to future employers on what they can expect from a graduate of your institution.

Collections of badges can add up to stackable credentials that promote the capabilities of your graduates as they continue toward graduation. Your alumni are not just leaving the institution with a degree, they are also leaving with a collection of skills they can market, communicate, and promote as they begin to make a difference in their community. Learn more about Anthology’s skills and badging capabilities with Anthology® Student and Anthology® Milestone.

You are not doing anything different academically, or reinventing your programmatic wheel; rather, you are simply repackaging your habitual excellence with value that is more relevant in today’s environment.

Change is coming, but it doesn’t have to be daunting. By leveraging your institution’s legacy, focusing on alumni impact, repackaging programs into skills-first credentials, and tapping into powerful technology solutions, you can turn the enrollment cliff into an opportunity to stand out. Learn more about how Anthology’s integrated suite of tools can help your institution adapt and thrive at Anthology.com.