Predictions for Higher Education Worldwide in 2021 and Beyond

Marguerite Dennis is an expert in international student recruitment, enrolment and counselling with more than 25 years of experience as a consultant for colleges and universities in the United States and around the world. She is an author of publications on international recruitment, enrolment and also a book from 2005 with predictions for HE Ten Trends in Higher Education.

She made predictions previously over the years that had become realities in the sector of higher education.

None can make predictions on when the virus will end, the vaccine distribution and effect, and when “normal” life, including college life, will resume.

This time she is aware that much will probably change before life returns to whatever it will be and she stated that it is why she believed it is so important for college and university executives to begin to reimagine now what their schools will “look like” after COVID-19 ceases to dominate our lives.

Here are some of her predictions for higher education worldwide in 2021 and beyond:

• Students, teaching and staff will travel with Digital Health passports and with COVID-19 test results

• Students will apply for colleges and universities with well-established health rules

• Students attendance will be some combination of online and in-person instruction.

• Credit-bearing, gap year programmes will be allowed and increase worldwide.

• Students will be accepted year-round and will be notified of admission decisions as soon as their applications are complete.

• An increasing number of higher education enrolments will be a result of company-sponsored, short-term certificate programmes and recruitment camps


• The institutions will use vision planning alongside with strategic planning.

• HE institutions will rely on specially hired innovation officers charged with implementing vision plans.

• Career counselling will start before enrolment and will continue throughout enrolment and after graduation. The institutions will open a 10-year acceptance, matriculation and graduation plan for students.

• The role of financial counsellors will involve estimating of costs and debt prior to enrolment.

• Students will graduate having done at least one internship.

• Virtual student and recruitment fairs, college and faculty and staff conferences, meetings and events will be frequent

• Some institutions will see closures, others will merge with both national and international partners.

• International student mobility will become more localised, within regions and continents.