Forvis Mazars launches network to connect colleges seeking potential partnerships, mergers
NEW YORK, Sept. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forvis Mazars, ranked among the largest accounting and consulting firms in the United States, is helping colleges and universities across the country explore options for strategic partnerships, including potential mergers, through its Higher Ed Strategic Partnership Hub.
The Higher Ed Strategic Partnership Hub is a new confidential network of colleges and universities designed to help institutions with similar goals and missions connect to discuss potential partnership options amid an increasingly uncertain industry landscape.
Initial interest in the growing program has been strong.
Schools continue to seek new ways to collaborate to support operational and fiscal sustainability as demographic shifts lead to lower enrollments in many regions of the country and state and federal funding steadily declines. There were 33 closures or mergers among private, four-year colleges in 2024 compared to an annual average of 12 between 2016 and 2023, according to the 2025 Annual Higher Education Outlook from Forvis Mazars.
“Conversations about exploring these options are happening in presidents’ offices and board rooms across the country, but leaders often don’t know where to start when it comes to reaching out to other schools or how to structure potential partnerships,” says Rachel Pauletti, leader of the higher education consulting practice at Forvis Mazars. “The Hub provides a confidential space for schools to begin this journey well before such moves may be necessary. It takes years to pull off successful partnerships in this space, not months.”
How It Works
The process begins with a brief survey gauging an institution’s interest in various forms of partnerships, such as shared administrative functions and expansion of programs into new geographies, up to and including mergers and acquisitions.
Next steps include a complementary session with the Forvis Mazars higher ed consulting team, which will help inform potential alignment with other institutions with similar goals and needs. Participant schools also will receive the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Playbook for higher education institutions.
There is no cost to participate and no obligation to move forward with a partnership or engage the firm’s services.
“Colleges and universities will have many opportunities to form partnerships in the coming decade. The Hub is here to empower institutions take an intentional and strategic approach that will help them achieve their long-term vision for the future,” Pauletti adds.
Deep Sector Experience
The Higher Ed Strategic Partnership Hub is bolstered by the firm’s extensive experience in the education sector. The higher education practice at Forvis Mazars serves more than 350 college and university clients across the United States and provides more audits to higher ed institutions than any other firm in the country, according to publicly available data.
The Hub builds on additional offerings from Forvis Mazars such as its Program Economic Analysis modeling software, which assesses historical financial performance of academic programs, compares its performance to peer institutions, and models “what if” scenarios showing how changes to academic variables could affect financial outcomes.
For more information about the higher education consulting practice at Forvis Mazars, visit forvismazars.us.
About Forvis Mazars
Forvis Mazars, LLP is an independent member of Forvis Mazars Global, a leading global professional services network. Ranked among the largest public accounting firms in the United States, the firm’s 7,000 dedicated team members provide an Unmatched Client Experience® through the delivery of assurance, tax, and consulting services for clients in all 50 states and internationally through the global network. Visit forvismazars.us to learn more.
Contact: Mike Brothers, PR Manager
mike.brothers@us.forvismazars.com
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