The element of surprise has gone missing. Eighteen months into an administration at odds with education, we’ve moved past shock. What remains is something more useful: resolve.
Can benchmarking help universities navigate today’s internationalization headwinds?
Yes - but don't take our word for it. Read The PIE News coverage of our new AIEA benchmarking study. 22 institutions have joined, 40 in progress, 100 more evaluating the opportunity. Are you?
Ours is an industry worth fighting for. And we’re not fighting alone. Between ASU+GSV, WIEC, and NAFSA (access valuable conference presentation decks and other resources below), Q2 connected us with colleagues near and far who share our conviction. The conversations have been honest, the insights hard-won, and in between, we shared our thinking to help your team move forward with topics covering:
- How to use World Cup momentum to spur internationalization innovation
- 3 steps to improve AI-driven visibility for prospective students
- How to rethink your India strategy as the competitive landscape shifts
- What the upward trend in US students studying abroad means for recruitment and retention
- 2 focus areas and 2 resources to help you move the enrollment needle in turbulent times
- What to do now to shore up your Fall ’26 cohort (2026 time is about run out on this one - but useful for perspective on future cycles)
- NAFSA takeaways worth keeping
Missed one? This quarterly wrap-up has you covered. Read on…
Useful insights and resources from Q2 2026:
The World Cup Reset: Use It (Don’t Lose It)
The World Cup has served as a welcome corrective to the news that’s run dire for too long; re-igniting a collective faith in a global community. The idea that we are better together is alive and well. Our suggestion: use the momentum of the World Cup to spur internationalization innovation at your institution. We, of course, have lots of ideas on that front. Chief among them: understand how your internationalization strategy and structure is actually serving you, and how it isn’t.
AI is Now Your Students’ First Campus Visit
Students used to learn about universities the old-fashioned way: browsing websites. Now, they have AI for that. If students aren’t using ChatGPT or Claude, Google’s Gemini often steps in as information gatekeeper, fundamentally reshaping the way students conduct research, including how they come to know your institution. 3 steps you can take to improve the value of your content in the eyes of AI – check it out.
India’s Growth Mindset – US vs India: Academic Opportunities
Here’s the thing: India is all about growth mindset right now. And investment. This, while the big four English-speaking student destinations each struggle to figure out what they care about and where to invest. Dive into insights about what this means for global campuses plus some eye-opening corporate data pointing toward career messaging.
More US Students See Opportunities Abroad
While the number of US students studying abroad is modest, their outbound trend is clearly upward. The institutions paying attention now will be better positioned for what’s coming. Here’s how to leverage this momentum with recruitment in mind.
Do What Needs Doing
There are many in the field seeking insights to help navigate these troubled times. Academia, the headlines seem to tell us, is under tremendous strain. True enough, and yet, a lot of those headlines end up being a whole lot of noise. We offer two valuable focus areas and two helpful resources to help academic leaders move the needle despite the turbulence.
Bring Your Student Leads into Focus
Is there chaos? Yes. Are there students yet to enroll? Also, yes. Our counsel helps academic leaders stop the handwringing and busy their teams with securing the fall cohort by shoring up those leads. This is ground you know well. Read insights from our team, including from our latest addition Lindsey Lopez, on what to prioritize now. A helpful checklist for future cycles.
NAFSA 2026 Reflections: 3 Things Worth Noting
If there’s one thing NAFSA confirmed, it’s that those who attended are focused on resilience. In this post we share 3 ideas that have stuck with us well past our time in Orlando including a valuable mindset, how to support those who support international students, and how to find enrollment success despite it all.
As you step into Q3 with resolve, steel yourself for the good work to be done. And should you need a partner to think through your enrollment strategy, we know just the team!
