Friday, June 19, 2026

Americans looking for proof of the value of higher ed - Matt Zalaznick, University Business

Americans need some convincing about the true value of higher ed. They “haven’t given up on college,” but institutions need to prove that what students learn will lead to civic and economic opportunities, says a new analysis. And the most important place to provide that evidence is in the communities surrounding campus, says the report, “Trust in Higher Education Starts Local,” from C&S (Campus and Community Solutions), a civic education nonprofit.“Higher ed doesn’t have a PR problem. It has a proof problem,”  says the organization that surveyed more than 2,400 adults in the U.S. to examine attitudes toward colleges and universities—and to chart a path forward.