Colleges Must Collaborate to Survive
Back in December, one of the nation’s Big Three credit rating agencies issued an especially gloomy forecast for American higher education. Fitch Ratings predicted that colleges and universities should generally expect to see “a deteriorating credit environment” in 2025 because of rising costs, flat state funding, and worrisome enrollment trends that will see institutions competing more fiercely for a shrinking student population.
That report emerged before the Trump Administration launched investigations into more than 50 universities, canceled millions of dollars in federal grants, clamped down on student protests, and began dismantling the Department of Education, which is responsible for administering the FAFSA and federal student loans that allow millions of Americans to access college. State policymakers, too, are weighing in with concerns around the cost and value of the degree—and urging colleges to take action.
American higher education continues to be squeezed from all sides, yet colleges have a way to relieve some of that pressure: collaboration using the latest technological advances. Higher education has long been a pioneer in the art of sharing. Long before the digital age made sharing as simple as the click of a button, institutions were building collaborative networks to improve outcomes and service delivery. With the advent of the internet — which allowed institutions to scale collaboration to unprecedented levels — and the rise of online learning, technology has served as both a catalyst and connector.
Higher education’s commitment to collaboration is a cornerstone of the modern academy. Voluntary peer-review accreditation emerged in the 19th century as a way for institutions to set shared standards for academic quality. The interlibrary loan system, established in the early 20th century, revolutionized access to scholarly resources because institutions could pool their holdings and ensure that students and faculty had access to the knowledge they needed. Intercollegiate athletics isn’t just about competition. It is built upon a collaborative structure that enables institutions to coordinate schedules and establish and enforce rules that ensure fair play.
The Claremont Colleges consortium was formed in 1925 so adjacent small independent colleges in California could share programs, facilities, and resources. This successful collaboration inspired the creation of other institutional consortia in western Massachusetts, the Philadelphia suburbs, Atlanta, and elsewhere across the United States.
By the 1960s, technology was emerging as a crucial enabler of sharing. The formation of the College and University Systems Exchange (CAUSE) in 1962 was a watershed moment for higher education’s embrace of collaborative technology. Initially created to help institutions share best practices for administrative computing, CAUSE evolved into a professional association focused on information systems and IT management in higher education. Its merger with Educom in 1998 led to the creation of EDUCAUSE, an organization that continues to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and innovations across the sector.
Internet ubiquity turbocharged higher education’s collaborative spirit. Course-sharing agreements, made possible by digital learning platforms, have allowed students to access coursework across institutional boundaries and geographic constraints. The open educational resources movement has enabled faculty to share textbooks and learning materials freely and reduce costs for students. Institutions now use public cloud-based research infrastructure, making data analysis more accessible and fostering breakthroughs in fields like climate science and artificial intelligence.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of shared technological infrastructure. Universities rapidly adopted virtual instruction, cloud-based services, and infrastructure and telehealth services not in isolation but by leveraging shared resources and best practices. National and statewide digital learning collaboratives have ensured that institutions, regardless of size or budget, can participate in the digital economy of higher education.
In future years, higher education must continue to expand its sharing ethos. Course-sharing platforms that allow institutions to offer students access to a broader array of classes can improve retention and graduation rates, help combat declining enrollments, and expand opportunities for learners. The integration of AI-driven tutoring and advising systems potentially shared across multiple institutions could significantly improve student support services. Emerging blockchain applications might soon enable the seamless transfer of credits and credentials and reduce friction for students trying to navigate multiple institutions.
As colleges and universities look for new ways to expand access and improve student outcomes, course sharing has emerged as a promising strategy. A recent report from the National Council of State Legislatures Task Force on Higher Education included a specific call to increase collaboration across institutions—and within systems—to ensure that students can complete degrees on time and on their schedule. But to deliver real value, these efforts must be grounded in a strong commitment to quality. A growing number of institutions are adopting shared standards to ensure that online courses—regardless of where they originate—are well-designed, effectively supported, and taught by qualified instructors. When students have access to high-quality courses across institutions, they are better positioned to stay on track and reach their goals.
Institutions will persevere in these unsettled times not through competition—but by collaboration.
Institutions that work together and leverage technology in cooperative efforts will be best positioned for success. Just like accreditation, interlibrary loans, intercollegiate sports, and institutional consortia once redefined the landscape of higher education, today’s technology-fueled collaborations have the potential to drive innovation in ways that are long overdue—and even more profound.
