The institutions that will thrive over the next decade won't necessarily be the ones with the biggest international recruitment budgets. They'll be the ones that build trusted global networks.

Public confidence in higher education has plummeted in recent years amid high tuition prices, skyrocketing student loans and a dismal job market—plus ideological concerns from conservatives. Now, colleges are scrambling to prove their value to students.

American students are increasingly looking overseas for college as tuition climbs and politics roil U.S. campuses. Applications to the U.K. alone jumped 14% this year.

The Anti-Defamation League released an updated report card assessing how U.S. colleges combat antisemitism and protect Jewish students. The report evaluated 135 schools and found that 45% improved over the last academic year, while only 9% declined.