The Canadian post-secondary landscape continues to evolve rapidly.
From changes to international student policy and increasing competition between institutions to growing concerns around retention, student success, and workforce readiness, Strategic Enrolment Management and Marketing (SEMM) professionals are navigating a far more complex environment than they were even a few years ago.
To better understand how institutions are responding, Brainstorm Strategy Group recently conducted the 2026 Canadian Strategic Enrolment Management and Marketing (SEMM) Landscape Survey, gathering responses from 109 professionals working across universities, colleges, and polytechnics.
Participants represented a broad range of functional areas, including career development and co-operative education, domestic recruitment, communications and marketing, and enrolment management leadership.
While the findings reveal significant challenges, they also point to several important shifts underway across Canadian higher education.
Here are five key themes emerging from this year’s survey.
1. Career Readiness Is Becoming Central to the Student Value Proposition
The strongest theme across the survey was the growing importance of career preparation and employability.
Nearly 94% of respondents believe students pursue post-secondary education primarily to prepare for a job or career, while more than half cited earning potential as a key driver.
Respondents also identified career opportunities and preparedness as one of the primary reasons students stay and complete their programs.
The findings suggest that career readiness is no longer viewed as an “added benefit” of post-secondary education — it is increasingly central to how students evaluate institutional value.
2. Institutions Feel More Confident About Recruitment Than Retention
Respondents generally rated their institutions positively in areas such as:
- recruitment communications,
- marketing,
- digital engagement,
- and connecting students with appropriate programs.
However, confidence dropped in areas tied to retention and student support.
Fewer respondents agreed that their institutions:
- effectively identify struggling students,
- use personalized retention strategies,
- or have strong systems in place to support student success from inquiry through completion.
As enrolment pressures continue to intensify, retention may become one of the most important strategic frontiers in SEM.
3. Student Success Is Increasingly Viewed Holistically
One of the strongest consensus areas in the survey was the belief that academics and student services are equally important to student success.
Respondents also emphasized:
- supportive learning environments,
- career preparedness,
- industry collaboration,
- and cross-functional support systems as important contributors to long-term outcomes.
At the same time, many institutions appear to still be working toward shared operational definitions of student success internally.
Only a minority of respondents strongly agreed that everyone at their institution shares a common definition of what student success actually means.
4. SEMM Maturity Varies Across Institutions
The findings suggest that SEMM continues to evolve from a recruitment-focused function into a broader institutional strategy.
Many respondents reported:
- stronger alignment between enrolment goals and institutional strategy,
- increased awareness of demographic and policy risks,
- and growing collaboration across departments.
However, respondents also highlighted ongoing challenges related to:
- siloed decision-making,
- SEM literacy,
- staffing capacity,
- and leadership buy-in.
The results suggest institutions remain at very different stages in terms of SEM integration and organizational readiness.
5. External Pressures Are Reshaping Institutional Strategy
Not surprisingly, changes to Canada’s international study permit cap emerged as the top enrolment challenge identified by respondents.
Other major concerns included:
- competition with other institutions,
- reliance on a limited number of international source markets,
- financial pressures,
- demographic shifts,
- and public perception around the value of post-secondary education.
Together, these pressures are forcing institutions to rethink long-standing enrolment assumptions and adapt more quickly to uncertainty.
Looking Ahead
Taken together, the 2026 SEMM Landscape Survey findings reveal a sector in transition.
Institutions appear increasingly aligned around the importance of:
- career readiness,
- holistic student success,
- cross-functional collaboration,
- and long-term strategic thinking.
At the same time, many continue to grapple with operational fragmentation, retention challenges, resource constraints, and rapidly changing external conditions.
In the coming weeks, we’ll explore several of these themes in greater depth — including how institutional perceptions compare with what students themselves say about motivation, persistence, and success.
Because one of the most important questions emerging from this year’s findings may be this:
Are institutions fully aligned with how today’s students actually experience post-secondary education?
