The number of students enrolled in higher education worldwide has more than doubled over the past 20 years, reaching 269 million in 2024, according to UNESCO’s first Higher Education Global Trends Report.
The report highlights the rapid global expansion of tertiary education and rising international student mobility, while warning that deep inequalities in access, affordability, and completion rates continue to affect millions of students, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
UNESCO’s latest findings, based on data from 146 countries, show that global higher education enrollment increased from approximately 100 million students in 2000 to 269 million in 2024.
The figure now represents 43 percent of the world’s population within the typical higher education age group of 18 to 24 years.
Regional Gaps Persist Despite Growth
Despite the strong global growth, UNESCO says access to higher education remains heavily uneven across regions.
According to the report, about 80 percent of young people in Western Europe and Northern America are enrolled in higher education institutions.
In contrast, enrollment stands at 59 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, 37 percent in the Arab States, 30 percent in South and West Asia, and only 9 percent in sub-Saharan Africa.
The report notes that lower enrollment and graduation rates in parts of Africa continue to reflect broader challenges linked to infrastructure deficits, limited financing, and unequal educational opportunities.
UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany described higher education as critical to building sustainable societies but stressed that expansion alone does not guarantee equal opportunities.
“This new report shows increasing demand for higher education, which plays an irreplaceable role in building sustainable societies,” he stated.
International Mobility and Gender Trends
UNESCO also reported significant growth in international student mobility, with nearly 7.3 million students now studying abroad, three times higher than two decades ago.
About half of these students are hosted by institutions in Europe and North America, reinforcing the dominance of those regions in global academic mobility.
The report further revealed that women now outnumber men in higher education enrollment globally.
However, the gender gap shifts at the doctoral level, where women remain underrepresented in advanced academic research and specialization.
Financing and Completion Challenges
The study also raised concerns over affordability and completion rates within higher education systems worldwide.
Private institutions now account for one-third of global higher education enrollment, with the highest concentration recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean. Countries including Brazil, Chile, Japan, and South Korea see nearly four out of every five students enrolled in private institutions.
UNESCO noted that only one-third of countries globally legally guarantee tuition-free public higher education.
Meanwhile, graduation rates have improved only marginally. The global gross graduation ratio rose from 22 percent in 2013 to 27 percent in 2024, suggesting that many students still face barriers to completing their studies.
UNESCO says the findings underscore the urgent need for innovative financing models and stronger international cooperation to ensure inclusive and equitable access to quality higher education worldwide.
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