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Across higher ed, digital teams are balancing more priorities than ever before. AI has moved from emerging technology to everyday reality, and institutions are exploring new strategies to surface content where learners are searching.
Teams are navigating new federal accessibility requirements, building stronger online experiences for learners, and managing increasingly complex websites across decentralized campuses.
For many institutions, these responsibilities are growing faster than the teams managing them.
The Digital Collegium Annual Conference provides a space for higher ed practitioners to step back from the day-to-day and learn how peers are approaching these challenges. Modern Campus will be participating in this year's conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from October 18–21.
Whether you're attending in person or tuning in online, here are five topics to keep on your radar and some recommended sessions for each.
AI search is changing how learners discover institutions
According to our 2026 College Planning Report, released in collaboration with Encoura, 63% of high school students report using AI tools to help with college planning. As AI becomes another starting point in the student search journey, institutions are rethinking how to structure digital content to maximize discoverability in AI-powered search.
Our recent webinar with Manaferra, The New Student Search Journey, examines this evolving search landscape. It’s a topic that’s likely to be top of mind throughout this year’s conference.
On the agenda:
- From SEO to AEO: 10 Practical Ways Higher Ed Websites Can Show Up in AI and Search. Chad Capellman and Syd Hunsinger, Sandstorm. Monday, October 19 at 11:15 am.
- Preparing for AI Search: What Did and Didn't Work for Us. Laura Barr, University of Rochester. Monday, October 19 at 2 pm.
The website is becoming an enrollment and engagement engine
For many higher ed web teams, the website is no longer just a place to publish information. It’s a crucial piece of digital infrastructure that shapes how learners experience the institution from the very first visit. That's why many institutions are approaching digital transformation as an opportunity to rethink how learners experience the website at every stage, not just redesign it.
On the agenda:
- Go Undercover: The Secret Shopper Approach to Find Flaws and Get Buy-in. Jessica Summers, Collegis Education and Kartik Sundaram, University of Michigan. Monday, October 19 at 8:30 am.
Digital governance determines whether transformation lasts
Great digital experiences don’t happen by accident. They rely on governance models that help teams make consistent decisions, especially when websites span hundreds—or even thousands—of pages across decentralized departments. That’s why choosing a CMS has become as much an operational decision as a technology decision. The technology matters, but long-term success depends on the governance that supports it.
On the agenda:
- Who Owns the Front Door? Making the Case for Marketing-Led Web Strategy. Jim Nourse, Penn State. Monday, October 19 at 8:30 am.
- Consistency at Scale: Unified Digital Experiences Through Governance, Standards and Communities of Practice. Joyce Peralta, McGill University. Tuesday, October 20 at 2 pm.
Accessibility is becoming an institutional operating model
New federal accessibility requirements have raised the stakes for higher ed web teams. By 2027, public institutions must ensure that their digital experiences conform to WCAG 2.1 AA standards. It’s no surprise that accessibility is a recurring theme throughout this year’s conference. For many institutions, accessibility is becoming part of the day-to-day work of managing digital experiences, including persistent challenges like PDFs, rather than a one-time remediation project.
On the agenda:
- The Y2K of Digital Accessibility: Navigating the DOJ Rule Hangover. Darren Denham, CPACC, University of Central Oklahoma. Monday, October 19 at 4 pm.
- PDF Search and Rescue: Problematic Documents to Findable, Accessible Content. Abbey Allen and Josh Leigh, University of Utah. Monday, October 19 at 4 pm.
Website transformation starts with intentional planning
Website launches often become the milestone institutions spend months working toward. But the real challenge begins once the new site is live. As users add content and institutional priorities evolve, websites have a way of becoming more difficult to govern over time. This year's conference highlights thoughtful approaches to website redesign that account for what happens long after launch, not just what leads up to it.
On the agenda:
- Taking Control of an Out-of-Control Website Through Thoughtful and Intentional Redesign. Tuesday, October 20 at 9:30 am.
These are just a few of the conversations happening at this year's conference. Explore the full Digital Collegium 2026 schedule to continue building your agenda.
Meet the Modern Campus Team at Booth 113
Join us in Pittsburgh to talk about the digital experiences that help institutions improve discoverability, reduce friction and support learners throughout their journey.
Visit us at Booth #113.
Last updated: October 14, 2026
