(Denver, Colo., June 16, 2026) – DLR Group, a leading global integrated design firm focused on elevating the human experience through design, releases findings and recommendations from its Evolution of Campus 6.0 research, the latest phase in its ongoing series examining innovations in design of higher education environments. The study identifies critical gaps and opportunities as institutions prepare students for an AI-driven workforce.

Major Themes and Key Findings

EOC 6.0 draws on perspectives from industry hiring managers as well as educators, students, recent graduates, and IT experts at leading institutions, including Oregon State University, New York University, California State University, Colorado State University, University of Washington, and North Carolina State University. The research highlights three primary objectives for higher education:

• Develop AI fluency among students and recent graduates.
• Address alignment and misalignment between higher education and workforce AI skill needs.
• Explore how campus and workplace environments can better support AI preparedness.

Institutions are rapidly expanding AI curricula and building innovation hubs, but there is a critical need for campus spaces that foster experimentation, collaboration, and ethical engagement with emerging technologies.

Flexible, low-stakes environments – such as libraries, student commons, and makerspaces – are essential for students and faculty to practice and develop AI skills. These “safe-to-learn” spaces build adaptability, ethics, and judgment alongside technical expertise.

Campuses vary significantly in regulatory burden, clinical risk, workforce alignment, and resource constraints. Community colleges, academic medical centers, and research-intensive universities each face unique challenges and opportunities as they adapt to the evolving landscape of AI integration.

Design Implications

EOC 6.0 calls for a new paradigm of campus design – one that prioritizes adaptability, supports interdisciplinary collaboration, and prepares students for the realities of an AI-enabled workforce. The research provides actionable recommendations for creating environments that bridge the gap between academic experience and industry needs.

Engage with EOC 6.0

DLR Group invites higher education leaders, faculty, and industry partners to engage with the EOC 6.0 research and join the ongoing dialogue about the future of learning in the age of AI. For more information or to schedule a personalized conversation about the findings, contact DLR Group Principal and Higher Education Leader Jackie Eckhardt, AIA, Assoc. DBIA.