Webinar | Findings from the 2026 EDUCAUSE Workforce Report: How Teams are Adapting to AI, External Pressures, and Strategic Change

How are higher education technology and data professionals navigating a period of sustained institutional change? Drawing on survey and focus group findings from the 2026 EDUCAUSE workforce study, this webinar examines how AI and external pressures, such as financial constraints, are reshaping institutional priorities. The session highlights how these shifts are being absorbed at the team level through expanded responsibilities and new technologies, while also revealing the effects of sustained adaptation on workload, job satisfaction, and long-term strategic capacity. We will also discuss how well positioned teams are to support these evolving priorities and consider the growing importance of human-centered competencies such as adaptability, communication, and collaboration. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how higher education teams are responding to change, how sustained adaptation is affecting strategic capacity, and what support is needed to move forward.

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe the major external pressures that are reshaping institutional priorities in higher education.
• Explain how institutional change is being absorbed at the team level.
• Identify the effects of sustained adaptation on workload, job satisfaction, and long-term strategic capacity.
• Assess key findings related to team preparedness to support strategic priorities, especially AI.
• Recognize the growing importance of human-centered competencies.