I went down a rabbit hole of university trend forecasts, expert predictions, and 2026 essay contests so I could stop writing about the same five topics. Here’s what’s actually current.
THE 2026 MASTER TOPIC LIST (by category):
GLOBAL & DEVELOPMENT
TECHNOLOGY & AI
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIETY
ECONOMICS & CONSUMERS
EDUCATION
If this was helpful, I’ll update it for Fall 2026. Drop your own finds below.
THE 2026 MASTER TOPIC LIST (by category):
GLOBAL & DEVELOPMENT- U.S.-China cooperation in climate/health/AI governance—specific mechanisms, not vibes
- Critical minerals: Who benefits? Military vs. green energy demand
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a market failure—why no new drugs?
- Supply chain rerouting: Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico navigating U.S.-China rivalry
TECHNOLOGY & AI- The “AI Satisfaction Gap”: productivity vs. worker morale
- AI regulation: Why the U.S. and EU are diverging
- Oral exams and “going medieval” – analog assessment in an AI world
- The apprenticeship crisis: Tacit knowledge loss
- EDUCAUSE 2026: “Human Edge of AI,” collaborative cybersecurity, data-centric culture
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT- Flooding outside FEMA zones—unmapped risk
- Solar panel/battery end-of-life management
- Climate resiliency financing
- Mega-sporting events (World Cup, Olympics) and climate adaptation
PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIETY- Menopause research—finally
- Youth mental health and phone bans (Australia model)
- The aging economy: record-low birth rates
- Opioid overdoses: declining rates and drug supply shifts
ECONOMICS & CONSUMERS- “Buy Now, Pay Later” debt normalization—Klarna for groceries
- Tariff volatility as status quo
- 2–3% global growth world—what breaks?
EDUCATION- AI literacy as workforce requirement
- Decision-maker data skills
- From reactive to proactive: predictive analytics in universities
If this was helpful, I’ll update it for Fall 2026. Drop your own finds below.