Hi everyone,
Tiffany here.
A quick reminder that Focus Friday is happening today, January 23, from 12:30-1:30pm Eastern.
Coming off our last Focus Friday community chat, one theme came through loud and clear: many institutions are grappling with shifting provincial politics and what those dynamics mean for governance, funding, autonomy, and long-term planning. So, this week, we wanted to spend some time digging into that relationship more directly.
To do that, I’ve invited a true expert, HESA’s President, Alex Usher, to join me for a conversation on Provincial Politics and PSEs. Together, we’ll explore how provincial governments are approaching higher education right now, what pressures institutions are facing, and what leaders should be paying attention to as 2026 approaches.
As always, this will be a discussion-oriented session, with plenty of time for questions and reflections from the group.If you haven’t registered yet, you can still join us here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HcZqgO_BRkqP3fl-N4dpUw
Looking Back: Community Chat (January 9)
The first Focus Friday of 2026 was a little different: no guest, no formal agenda, just a wide-ranging community conversation about what people are actually grappling with as we head into the new year. What emerged was a remarkably consistent set of pressures, questions, and tensions across provinces, institution types, and roles.
Government, Governance, and Growing System Pressure
A major through-line in the conversation was the expanding role of governments in shaping the postsecondary system. Participants pointed to fast-tracked provincial reviews, mandated program assessments, governance reforms, and funding uncertainty as sources of real strain, particularly where timelines are tight and consultation feels limited. Several people noted that this moment feels different from past cycles of review, with more direct implications for institutional autonomy, board composition, and even the possibility of mergers. The relationship between governments and institutions is clearly top of mind, and in many places, increasingly tense.
Financial Sustainability Is No Longer Abstract
Unsurprisingly, budget pressure came up repeatedly, not as a future risk, but as a current operating reality. Institutions described the fragility created by reliance on international student revenue, uncertainty around special provincial funding envelopes, and the difficulty of sustaining high-cost programs. Colleges, in particular, spoke about being forced to cut smaller or more resource-intensive programs as cross-subsidization becomes less viable. The sense in the room was that financial challenges are now structural, not cyclical.
Program Review, Academic Autonomy, and Faculty Tensions
Related to both governance and finances was concern about how program review is unfolding in practice. Participants described tension between government-mandated reviews and existing academic quality assurance processes, with faculty expressing worry about external influence over curriculum and program decisions. There was also anxiety about what sustainability pressures mean for liberal arts, humanities, and language programs, especially when value is increasingly framed in narrow labour-market terms.
Re-Thinking the Value Proposition of a Degree
A significant portion of the conversation focused on how institutions talk about, and sometimes oversimplify, the value of a degree. There was strong agreement that messaging equating “degree = job” is neither accurate nor sustainable. Instead, participants emphasized the need to articulate the broader value of higher education: transferable skills, critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and learning how to learn. Several people challenged the sector’s fixation on the major as the primary justification for a degree, noting that most graduates do not work in fields directly tied to their major and that much of a degree lies outside disciplinary specialization.
Degree Structure and Curriculum Design
This naturally led into discussion about whether traditional degree structures still make sense. Participants raised interest in more modular, flexible pathways that allow students to assemble learning intentionally across disciplines. There was curiosity about how institutions might move beyond rigid silos and rethink curriculum design in ways that support adaptability rather than narrowly defined outcomes.
Graduate Education and Career Pathways
Graduate education emerged as one of the most urgent issues of the session. Participants were candid about the disconnect between how graduate programs are structured and where graduates actually end up. Many noted that while academic careers remain the implicit model, most graduate students will not work in academia, and are often underprepared for alternatives. The group highlighted gaps in professional development, industry exposure, internships, and employer understanding of graduate-level skills, alongside calls for more intentional, structured support for graduate students navigating non-academic careers.
Experiential Learning and Industry Engagement
There was broad support for expanding experiential learning, including co-ops and internships, but with important caveats. Participants stressed that these opportunities should not be limited to STEM fields and that humanities and social science students are often excluded despite possessing highly valued skills. Others pointed to employer expectations around “career-ready” graduates and the lack of willingness to invest in onboarding, underscoring the need for stronger, more coordinated sector-wide partnerships.
Faculty Roles and Hiring Practices
The conversation also turned inward, toward faculty. Participants asked whether current hiring and promotion practices adequately value professional experience, industry engagement, and interdisciplinary work — and how faculty capacity shapes the student experience. Questions emerged about whether institutions are equipping faculty to prepare students for a changing world, or relying too heavily on traditional academic career trajectories.
What You Want to Talk About Next
To close, participants shared ideas for future Focus Friday sessions, including:
- Graduate education and industry pathways
- Professional development for students and faculty
- Research, innovation, and productivity
- Governance and board relations
- Reframing and defending the value of universities and liberal education
Overall, the conversation reflected a sector under real pressure (financially, politically, and culturally) but also deeply engaged in asking hard questions about purpose, structure, and responsibility. It was a strong reminder of why creating space for honest, cross-institutional dialogue matters.
If you have an institutional example or story to share related to the above topics or want to add another topic to the list of things to explore in 2026, reach out to tmaclennan@higheredstrategy.com.
