Report
2025 Survey of College and University Chief Academic Officers
A Watermark-sponsored Inside Higher Ed and Hanover Research study
Want to know what’s really on the minds of academic leaders? Sponsored by Watermark, the 2025 Survey of College and University Chief Academic Officers offers an unparalleled look into the strategies, challenges, and priorities shaping higher education’s future.
The survey was conducted by Inside Higher Ed and Hanover Research and consists of data collected from 478 CAOs, representing 214 public, 256 private non-profit, and eight for-profit U.S. institutions.
Key findings you’ll explore:
- The Provost’s paradox: The surprising disconnect between job satisfaction and the resources needed to succeed.
- The funding fallout: How federal policy shifts are impacting institutional budgets and academic freedom.
- The AI imperative: What academic leaders are doing to adapt curricula and policies for the age of artificial intelligence.
- The well-being crisis: The steps being taken to support student and staff mental health, and the results they’re seeing.
- The talent drain: The top reasons for faculty and staff turnover, and how institutions are fighting to retain their best people.
Download the report for free to better align your work with the real-world priorities and concerns of academic leadership.
Read our blog
