On Campus Podcast – Higher Education in 2026: AI, Gen Z, and the 21st-Century Campus

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1. Podcast Introduction (00:00:06) Host introduces the podcast, its purpose, and provides a disclaimer about the views expressed.
2. Season Four Overview (00:00:34) Ed Butch previews season four, emphasizing timely conversations for higher education in 2026.
3. Key Topics Preview (00:01:20) Outlines three main focus areas: marketing to Gen Z, the 21st-century classroom, and AI’s impact on campus.
4. Enrollment and Marketing to Gen Z (00:01:20) Discusses how colleges must adapt marketing and communication strategies for Gen Z’s digital habits and expectations.
5. Authenticity and Value in Student Recruitment (00:02:36) Explores Gen Z’s desire for authenticity, transparency, and value, and how institutions are rethinking outreach.
6. The 21st-Century Classroom (00:02:36) Examines changes in classroom design, pedagogy, and technology to meet modern student needs.
7. Faculty Challenges and Intentional Design (00:04:06) Highlights faculty adapting to new modalities, equity, and creating engaging learning environments.
8. AI as the New Normal in Higher Education (00:04:06) Describes AI’s integration into academics, administration, and the shift to responsible, ethical use.Season Topics and Community
9. Engagement (00:05:34) Previews upcoming season topics and invites listener input and participation.
10. Podcast Closing and Credits (00:06:44) Encourages listeners to visit CITI Program, thanks the production team, and previews future episodes.

Ed Butch: Welcome to On Campus with CITI Program, the podcast where we explore the complexities of the campus experience with higher education experts and researchers. I’m your host, Ed Butch, and I’m thrilled to have you with us today. Before we get started, I want to quickly note that this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not designed to provide legal advice or guidance. In addition, the views expressed in this podcast are solely those of our guests. Hello and welcome back to On Campus. I’m Ed Butch, and I’m excited to kick off season four of the podcast. If you’re new here by chance, on campus is a space where we talk about what’s happening right now in higher education, from the student experience to teaching and learning, policy, innovation, and the forces shaping colleges and universities today. As I mentioned in the closing of season three, we’re not going to have a single overarching theme this season.

Instead, season four is all about the conversations higher education needs to be having in 2026. The questions that campuses are wrestling with, the opportunities ahead and the realities shaping students, faculty, and institutions alike. Today’s episode is a short kickoff, a preview of what’s to come this season. And I want to spend a few minutes digging a bit deeper into three areas that I believe are important conversations that universities should already be having, or if not, should start now. First, how we market and communicate with today’s high school students and Gen Z. Second, what the 21st century classroom really looks like. And finally, how AI has moved from an emerging trend to the new normal on campus. So let’s start with enrollment and marketing, because whether institutions like it or not, this is front and center right now. Today’s high school students, which are largely Gen Z, are growing up in a very different information environment than previous generations.

They don’t just search for colleges the way students did 10 or even five years ago. They’re discovering institutions through short form video, social media recommendations, AI powered search tools, peer reviews and creator content, and increasingly, answer engines instead of traditional search engines. For colleges and university, this means the glossy brochures and generic web copy are no longer enough. Students really desire authenticity, transparency, and clear value. They’re asking, “Will I belong here? Will this degree lead somewhere? Can I afford this, and is it worth it? And does this institution understand who I am and what I care about?” This season, we’ll be talking about how campuses are rethinking digital marketing, recruitment, and storytelling, including how AI is changing SEO, content creation, and personalized outreach. But this isn’t just about marketing. It’s really about listening, understanding how Gen Z experiences the world, what they expect from institution, and how colleges can meet students where they are without losing their missions or values.

Another major focus this season will be on the 21st century classroom, and not just in the sense of technology. When we talk about modern classrooms, we’re really thinking about a combination of physical space, digital infrastructure, pedagogy, and student expectations. The traditional module that I’m sure most of us remember of rows of desks, long lectures, limited interaction, does not match how many students learn today. Across higher education, we’re seeing more emphasis on active learning, collaborative spaces, hybrid and high flex instruction, and universal design for learning. At the same time, faculty are being asked to do more with less, often teaching across modalities, adapting courses for diverse learners, and responding to rapid changes in technology. The 21st century classroom isn’t just about screens and software. It’s about intentional design, equity, and creating spaces where students can truly engage, connect, and of course, succeed.

And finally, we can’t talk about higher education in 2026 without talking about AI. What’s changed is that AI is no longer a future possibility. It’s already embedded in how students study and write, how faculty design courses and assess learning, how administrators manage enrollment, advising, and student support services, and how institutions make decisions using data and analytics. The conversation really has gone beyond should we allow AI, to how do we use AI responsibly, ethically, and effectively? So this season, I want to tackle questions like what does academic integrity mean in an AI enabled world? Or how can AI support, not replace, teaching and learning? AI presents real opportunities, but also real challenges. And navigating that tension is something campuses are actively figuring out in real time.

So over the course of the season, you’re going to hear conversations about enrollment and demographic shifts, student belonging and mental health, faculty roles and academic careers, research ethics and data governance, global engagement, community partnerships, and what the future of higher education might look like as we move toward 2030. As always, On Campus is about bringing together voices from across higher education, faculty, administrators, students, and practitioners to explore what’s changing and why it matters. Now, before I wrap up, I want to hear from you. If you have an idea for a topic you’d like to hear covered this season, a perspective that you think deserves more attention, or if you’re interested in being a guest, I’d love to connect. You can reach out to me directly, and I’ll include contact information in the show notes. This podcast is stronger when it reflects the real conversations happening across campuses, and that of course starts with your input.

So thank you for joining me for this kickoff to season four, and new episodes drop in the third week of each month, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite platform. I invite all of our listeners to visit citiprogram.org to learn more about our courses and webinars on research, ethics, compliance, and higher education. I look forward to bringing you more expert guests to discuss what’s happening on campus. Special thanks to our line producer, Evelyn Fornell. Production and distribution support provided by Raymond Longaray and Megan Stuart.