The spring of 2020 challenged higher education institutions globally as COVID-19 spread around the world. Physical campuses were shut down as classes were rapidly transferred online. Socioeconomic factors heightened disparities as equitable access to technology and the internet became a key challenge.

The pandemic’s economic impact also created additional stress for institutions, students, and their families. Leading many of us to revisit the following questions: What is the value of higher education in today's world? What does success look like for both students and institutions?

Against this backdrop, we launched our global benchmark study in June to research the State of Student Success and Engagement. Working with Hanover Research, we fielded a survey in 13 countries asking 7,070 current students, administrators and faculty from higher education institutions to define measurements of student success and identify factors for engagement. We also investigated these groups' perceptions of both the impact of COVID-19, as well as the role of socioeconomic factors on the educational experience.

The Results

Across all regions included in our study, we found that students, faculty, and administrators believe work/career readiness and holistic development are two of the most important factors that contribute to student success. Socioeconomic factors, such as access to the internet, learning resources, and technological devices also greatly contribute.

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