In 2022, Canada had the highest share of adults with a university degree, at over 60 percent of those between the ages of 25 and 64. India had the smallest share of people with a university degree, at 13 percent of the adult population. University around the world Deciding which university to attend can be a difficult decision for some and in today’s world, people are not left wanting for choice. There are thousands of universities around the world, with the highest number found in India and Indonesia. When picking which school to attend, some look to university rankings, where Harvard University in the United States consistently comes in on top. Moving on up One of the major perks of attending university is that it enables people to move up in the world. Getting a good education is generally seen as a giant step along the path to success and opens up doors for future employment. Future earnings potential can be determined by which university one attends, whether by the prestige of the university or the connections that have been made there. For instance, graduates from the Stanford Graduate School of Business can expect to earn around 250,000 U.S. dollars annually.

Among the OECD countries, Canada had the highest proportion of adults with a tertiary education in 2022. About 63 percent of Canadians had achieved a tertiary education in that year. Japan followed with about 56 percent of the population having completed a tertiary education, while in Ireland the share was roughly 54 percent. In India, on the other hand, less than 13 percent of the adult population had completed a tertiary education in 2022.

Ireland was the European country with the highest share of graduates in 2023, with almost 47 percent of those aged between 15 and 64 having a degree. On the contrary, only 15 percent of the population aged 15 to 64 in Bosnia and Herzegovina hold a tertiary education title.

As of 2023, based on data dating back to 2021, Angola was the country worldwide where the lowest share of the population had a higher education of a bachelor's degree or higher. A high number of the countries on the list were located in Sub-Saharan Africa. On the other hand, Montenegro was the country where the highest share of the population had completed a bachelor's degree or more.

As of 2022, 70 percent of the South Korean population between 25 and 34 had attained a tertiary education, making it the OECD country with the highest proportion of tertiary education graduates. Canada followed with more than two-thirds, while in Japan, the share was around 66 percent. By comparison, roughly 13 percent of South Africans between 25 and 34 had a tertiary education in 2022.

Focus of this study is the data of the educational system, collected in different European countries. Mainly there is information about the pupils’ number in primary schools, secondary schools and in universities collected. There is no information about the vocational education and adult education, because the differences between these systems are too strong.

In order to get comparable data, the pupils’ registration quota (relative school-/high-school attendance) were collected (this means the proportion of pupils or students of the corresponding population’s age cohort).

For each country the information are presented in three different tables:

• Information about the primary school-system,
• Information about the secondary school-system,
• Information about the higher education (universities).

Furthermore, time series about the population of the countries as well as about the population’s alphabetisation quota in Prussia/the German Empire, France, England and Wales and Russia are available.

Topics:

Time Series available via HISTAT

In the ZA-Online-Database HISTAT are tables available containing the following information for each country:

Primary-Schools: Number of pupils in all schools, abs. Number of pupils in public schools, abs. Number of pupils in private schools in % of all pupils in primary schools. Number of pupils in % of the population’s 5-14 age group in primary schools. Number of pupils in % of the population’s 5-14 age group in public primary schools. Number of teachers in all primary schools. Number of teachers in public primary schools. Pupils per teacher in all primary schools, in public schools and in private schools. Primary Teacher Schools: Number of students and number of female students.

Secondary Schools: Number of pupils in post-primary schools, abs. Number of pupils in lower secondary schools, abs. Number of pupils in % of the population’s 10-14 age group in lower secondary schools. Number of pupils in all schools of general higher secondary education, abs. Number of pupils in public schools of general higher secondary education, abs. Number of pupils in private schools of general higher secondary education in % of all schools. Number of pupils in % of the population’s 10-19 age group in all schools of general higher secondary education. Number of pupils in % of the population’s 10-19 age group in public schools of general higher secondary education. Number of female pupils in all schools of general higher secondary education. Percentage of female pupils in all schools of general higher secondary education. Number of pupils in Technical / Commercial higher secondary schools. Number of pupils in all higher secondary schools, abs. Number of pupils in all higher secondary schools in % of the population’s 10-19 age group.

Universities, higher education: Number of students in technological institutes of higher education, abs. Number of students in commercial institutes of higher education, abs. Number of students in other institutes of higher education, abs. Number of students in universities, abs. Number of students in universities in % of the population’s 20-24 age group. Number of female students in % of all students. Students by faculty in percent of all students: theology, law medicine, philosophy, mathematics/science, economics/social sciences, technology. Total number of students in higher education, abs. Total number of students in higher education in % of the population’s 20-24 age group.

Additional: Estimated population (including the USA and Russia). Concerning Prussia/German Empire, France, England and Wales, Russia: Alphabetisation-quota. Development of the primary education per 100 inhabitants / development of the secondary education per 1000 inhabitants / Development of the higher education per 10 000 inhabitants.

In 2021, about 37.7 percent of the U.S. population who were aged 25 and above had graduated from college or another higher education institution, a slight decline from 37.9 the previous year. However, this is a significant increase from 1960, when only 7.7 percent of the U.S. population had graduated from college.

Demographics

Educational attainment varies by gender, location, race, and age throughout the United States. Asian-American and Pacific Islanders had the highest level of education, on average, while Massachusetts and the District of Colombia are areas home to the highest rates of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher. However, education levels are correlated with wealth. While public education is free up until the 12th grade, the cost of university is out of reach for many Americans, making social mobility increasingly difficult.

Earnings

White Americans with a professional degree earned the most money on average, compared to other educational levels and races. However, regardless of educational attainment, males typically earned far more on average compared to females. Despite the decreasing wage gap over the years in the country, it remains an issue to this day. Not only is there a large wage gap between males and females, but there is also a large income gap linked to race as well.

Vietnam VN: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative data was reported at 11.524 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.270 % for 2021. Vietnam VN: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 10.314 % from Dec 2019 (Median) to 2022, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.524 % in 2022 and a record low of 10.248 % in 2019. Vietnam VN: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Bachelor's or equivalent.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 24, 2024. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;

Thailand TH: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 14.810 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.125 % for 2013. Thailand TH: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 13.968 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2016, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.810 % in 2016 and a record low of 13.125 % in 2013. Thailand TH: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Bachelor's or equivalent.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

Montenegro was the country where the highest cumulative share of the population above 25 years had completed at least a bachelor's degree. 61.1 percent of the population in the country had some form of higher education as of 2022. The United Arab Emirates followed behind with 51.1 percent.

Uganda UG: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 1.699 % in 2012. Uganda UG: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 1.699 % from Dec 2012 (Median) to 2012, with 1 observations. Uganda UG: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Bachelor's or equivalent.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

Cyprus was the European country with the highest share of graduates aged 30 to 34 in 2023, with two thirds of people in this age group having a degree. Countries such as Italy, Bosnia, and Romania had the lowest share of graduates in this age group at 29.2, 28.2, and 22.8 percent respectively.

Oman OM: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 12.458 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.323 % for 2010. Oman OM: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 12.323 % from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.458 % in 2015 and a record low of 9.329 % in 2003. Oman OM: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Oman – Table OM.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Bachelor's or equivalent.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

More than half of the population in Canada between 55 and 64 years had attained a tertiary education as of 2022, making it the OECD country with the highest proportion of tertiary education graduates in that age group. Japan followed with about 48 percent, while in Israel the share was around 47 percent. By comparison, roughly 6.5 percent of Indian citizens between 55 and 64 years had a tertiary education in 2022.

The aim of the Human Development Report is to stimulate global, regional and national policy-relevant discussions on issues pertinent to human development. Accordingly, the data in the Report require the highest standards of data quality, consistency, international comparability and transparency. The Human Development Report Office (HDRO) fully subscribes to the Principles governing international statistical activities.

The HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone. The HDI can also be used to question national policy choices, asking how two countries with the same level of GNI per capita can end up with different human development outcomes. These contrasts can stimulate debate about government policy priorities. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living. The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions.

The 2019 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) data shed light on the number of people experiencing poverty at regional, national and subnational levels, and reveal inequalities across countries and among the poor themselves.Jointly developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford, the 2019 global MPI offers data for 101 countries, covering 76 percent of the global population. The MPI provides a comprehensive and in-depth picture of global poverty – in all its dimensions – and monitors progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 – to end poverty in all its forms. It also provides policymakers with the data to respond to the call of Target 1.2, which is to ‘reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definition'.

Abstract

This data is from the first round of a unique, cross-country panel survey conducted in Uganda by the Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC). The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) is the lead organisation of SLRC. SLRC partners who participated in the survey were: the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) in Sri Lanka, Feinstein International Center (FIC, Tufts University), the Sustainable Development Policy Institute(SDPI) in Pakistan, Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction, based at Wageningen University (WUR) in the Netherlands, the Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research (NCCR), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

This survey generated the first round of data on people's livelihoods, their access to and experience of basic services, and their views of governance actors. SLRC will attempt to re-interview the same respondents in 2015 to find out how the livelihoods and governance perceptions of people shift (or not) over time, and which factors may have contributed towards that change.

Geographic coverage

Uganda: Acholi and Lango sub-region Rural and urban

Analysis unit

Some questions are at the level of individuals in household (e.g. livelihood activities, education levels); other questions are at the household level (e.g. assets). A sizeable share of the questionnaire is devoted to perceptions based questions, which are at the individual (respondent) level.

Universe

Randomly selected households in purposely sampled sites (sampling procedure varied slightly by country).

Within a selected household, only one household members was interviewed about the household. Respondents were adults and we aimed to interview a fairly even share of men/ women. In some countries this was achieved, but in other countries the share of male respondents is substantially higher (e.g. Pakistan).

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling strategy was designed to select households that are relevant to the main research questions and as well as being of national relevance, while also being able to produce statistically significant conclusions at the study and village level. To meet these objectives, purposive and random sampling were combined at different stages of the sampling strategy. The first stages of the sampling process involved purposive sampling, with random sampling only utilized in the last stage of the process. Sampling locations were selected purposely (including districts and locations within districts), and then randomly households were selected within these locations. A rigorous sample is geared towards meeting the objectives of the research. The samples are not representative for the case study countries and cannot be used to represent the case study countries as a whole, nor for the districts. The samples are representative at the village level, with the exception of Uganda.

Sampling locations (sub-regions or districts, sub-districts and villages) were purposively selected, using criteria, such as levels of service provision or levels of conflict, in order to locate the specific groups of interest and to select geographical locations that are relevant to the broader SLRC research areas and of policy relevance at the national level. For instance, locations experienced high/ low levels of conflict and locations with high/ low provision of services were selected and locations that accounted for all possible combinations of selection criteria were included. Survey locations with different characteristics were chose, so that we could explore the relevance of conflict affectedness, access to services and variations in geography and livelihoods on our outcome variables. Depending on the administrative structure of the country, this process involved selecting a succession of sampling locations (at increasingly lower administrative units).

The survey did not attempt to achieve representativeness at the country /or district level, but it aimed for representativeness at the sub-district /or village level through random sampling (Households were randomly selected within villages so that the results are representative and statistically significant at the village level and so that a varied sample was captured. Households were randomly selected using a number of different tools, depending on data availability, such as random selection from vote registers (Nepal), construction of household listings (DRC) and a quasi-random household process that involved walking in a random direction for a random number of minutes (Uganda).

The samples are statistically significant at the survey level and village level (in all countries) and at the district level in Sri Lanka and sub-region level in Uganda. The sample size was calculated with the aim to achieve statistical significance at the study and village level, and to accommodate the available budget, logistical limitations, and to account for possible attrition between 2012-2015. In a number of countries estimated population data had to be used, as recent population data were not available.

The minimum overall sample size required to achieve significance at the study level, given population and average household size across districts, was calculated using a basic sample size calculator at a 95% confidence level and confidence interval of 5. The sample size at the village level was again calculated at the using a 95% confidence level and confidence interval of 5. . Finally, the sample was increased by 20% to account for possible attrition between 2012 and 2015, so that the sample size in 2015 is likely to be still statistically significant.

The overall sample required to achieve the sampling objectives in selected districts in each country ranged from 1,259 to 3,175 households.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

One questionnaire per country that includes household level, individual level and respondent level perceptions based questions.

The general structure and content of the questionnaire is similar across all five countries, with about 80% of questions similar, but tailored to the country-specific process. Country-specific surveys were tailored on the basis of a generic survey instrument that was developed by ODI specifically for this survey.

The questionnaires are published in English.

Cleaning operations

CSPro was used for data entries in most countries.

Data editing took place at a number of stages throughout the processing, including: • Office editing and coding • During data entry • Structure checking and completeness • Extensive secondary editing conducted by ODI

Response rate

The required sample sizes were achieved in all countries. Response rates were extremely high, ranging from 99%-100%.

Sampling error estimates

No further estimations of sampling error was conducted beyond the sampling design stage.

Data appraisal

Done on an ad hoc basis for some countries, but not consistently across all surveys and domains.

In 2022, Canada had the greatest amount of international students compared to their entire higher education population with nearly 40 percent of students being international. Australia followed with a share of 31 percent of the students being international, while the United Kingdom ranked third.

Education is one of the key priorities in the Danish welfare system. In fact, Danes enjoy free primary schools, upper secondary schools, and universities. As of 2023, the most common type of education completed in Denmark was vocational education and training programs. Close to 28 percent of the population between 15 and 69 years of age had completed this education. Meanwhile, around one fourth had completed a primary education, whereas around 16 percent had completed a vocational bachelor education. Primary and upper secondary education Primary education comprises of ten years of compulsory education in Denmark. Over the past decade, there were fewer pupils in primary education, likely due to a general decrease in the number of births in recent years. Moreover, the number of students in upper secondary education decreased from 2017 after having increased until then. Higher education The same tendency can be observed for higher education: as of 2023, over 30 percent of the Danish population had attained a type of higher education. After having peaked in 2014, the number of university students decreased, reaching around 148,000 students as of 2021. Both the number of master and doctorate students in the country fluctuated over the past 10 years.

In the academic year 2023/24, there were 331,602 international students from India studying in the United States. International students The majority of international students studying in the United States are originally from India and China, totaling 331,602 students and 277,398 students respectively in the 2023/24 school year. In 2022/23, there were 467,027 international graduate students , which accounted for over one third of the international students in the country. Typically, engineering and math & computer science programs were among the most common fields of study for these students. The United States is home to many world-renowned schools, most notably, the Ivy League Colleges which provide education that is sought after by both foreign and local students. International students and college Foreign students in the United States pay some of the highest fees in the United States, with an average of 24,914 U.S. dollars. American students attending a college in New England paid an average of 14,900 U.S. dollars for tuition alone and there were about 79,751 international students in Massachusetts . Among high-income families, U.S. students paid an average of 34,700 U.S. dollars for college, whereas the average for all U.S. families reached only 28,026 U.S. dollars. Typically, 40 percent of families paid for college tuition through parent income and savings, while 29 percent relied on grants and scholarships.

Bangladesh BD: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative: Male data was reported at 11.534 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 11.191 % for 2015. Bangladesh BD: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 8.486 % from Dec 2011 (Median) to 2016, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.534 % in 2016 and a record low of 7.838 % in 2013. Bangladesh BD: Educational Attainment: At Least Bachelor's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Bachelor's or equivalent.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/); ;