Seminaries and Institutes of Religion programs have added more than 12CL,000 students over the last three years, according to a 2024 update from the Religious Studies Center. The growth in enrollment follows a period of decline and comes as the organization implements new educational strategies to better support the faith of young adults worldwide.
Reversing Enrollment Declines
The increase in student numbers includes a 20 percent rise in institute enrollments. Chad H Webb, the administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion and Church Primary and Secondary Schools, noted that these programs have actively worked to reverse a downward trend in enrollment that began several years ago.
Webb reported that the decline in institute enrollments became a major concern for Church educators approximately five to six years ago. To address this, the organization established the Innovate Institute Committee to study how to better support students and help them live the gospel.
To identify specific needs, the committee utilized correlation research and collaborated with the BYU AdLab. The organization also contracted Bonneville Communications to perform a rigorous analysis involving focus groups and surveys of more than 5,000 young adults across five continents, including those not currently participating in the Church.
The research revealed four primary desires among young adults: a need for more relevance in meeting life's questions, a desire for a sense of belonging to a group and cause, a requirement for greater accessibility despite busy schedules, and a deep desire for conversion to Jesus Christ.
Webb emphasized that while relevance, belonging, and accessibility are vital, they must serve the ultimate goal of deepening conversion. He noted that creating relevance without focusing on conversion could result in nothing more than joining a club or sports team rather than achieving long-lasting spiritual benefits.
In response to these findings, several initiatives have been implemented over the last four years. These include the creation of workshops—short-term, two- to five-week seminars based on specific student needs—and the introduction of new classes, such as one based on Elder Andersen’s book, The Divine Gift of Forgiveness.
Other changes involve classroom renovations and giving students more input regarding which parts of the curriculum they wish to study in greater depth. Additionally, training for teachers has been updated through the introduction of 'Teaching in the Savior’s Way' by Elder Uchtdorf.
Accessibility has been significantly improved through the expansion of online institute programs. Annual online enrollments have grown to 25,000 students, a substantial increase from the 9,000 students recorded two years prior. This growth is attributed largely to a collaboration with BYU–Pathway Worldwide.
Webb also highlighted successful missionary-style efforts in Central America last year, where teachers personally invited more than 25,000 youth and young adults to attend classes. These efforts resulted in more than 30,000 attendees from other faiths and led to over 9,000 baptisms.
The expansion of these educational programs occurs within the broader context of the Church Educational System's leadership and infrastructure. This system includes institutions such as Ensign College, where Bruce C. Kusch has served as president since April 17, 2017.
Kusch, who previously served as the chief academic officer at the college starting in March 2016, brings an extensive background in instructional design and business management to the role. His career includes serving as an associate dean of online programs at BYU-Idaho and holding a Ph.D. in instructional design from Idaho State University.
The ongoing efforts to modernize religious education focus on the concept of 'gathering Israel' through covenant belonging. As Webb stated, all initiatives are designed to help students see how the gospel answers the questions of their souls and assists with everyday challenges.
