The number of students enrolled in higher education worldwide has more than doubled over the past two decades, reaching 269 million in 2024, according to a new UNESCO report.
International student mobility has also more than tripled, rising from 2.1 million students in 2000 to nearly 7.3 million in 2023, though UNESCO warned that major inequalities in access, funding and completion continue to persist globally.
The report, based on data from 146 countries, found that global higher education participation now represents 43% of the population of typical higher education age, though stark regional disparities remain.
While around 80% of young people aged 18–24 are enrolled in higher education in Western Europe and North America, participation rates stand at 59% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 37% in the Arab States region, 30% in South and West Asia and just 9% in sub-Saharan Africa.
“This new report shows increasing demand for higher education, which plays an irreplaceable role in building sustainable societies,” said Khaled El-Enany, director-general of UNESCO.
“Yet this expansion does not always translate into equitable opportunities, highlighting the need for innovative financing models to deliver quality, inclusive higher education.”
The report found that international student mobility remains heavily concentrated among a small number of countries, with the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, Russia and France continuing to host half of all internationally mobile students worldwide.
UNESCO also highlighted the emergence of newer study destinations, with international student mobility in countries such as Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates increasing at least fivefold over the past decade, while Argentina, China, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea were also identified as increasingly popular destinations.
Through major initiatives such as the Global Convention on Higher Education and the Qualifications Passport, UNESCO will continue to support countries in delivering high-quality higher education opportunities to everyone
Khaled El-Enany, UNESCO
The report additionally pointed to growing intra-regional mobility patterns, with the share of students studying within Latin America and the Caribbean rising from 24% to 43% between 2000 and 2022, while students from Arab States are increasingly choosing Gulf countries and Jordan over traditional destinations in Western Europe and North America.
Despite the rapid growth in mobility, UNESCO noted that studying abroad still benefits only 3% of the global student cohort.
Women now outnumber men in higher education globally, with 114 women enrolled for every 100 men in 2024. UNESCO noted that gender parity has now been achieved across all regions except sub-Saharan Africa, with Central and Southern Asia recording particularly strong progress, rising from 68 women enrolled per 100 men in 2000 to achieving parity by 2023.
However, women remain underrepresented at doctoral level and hold only around one-quarter of senior academic leadership positions worldwide.
UNESCO further noted that only one-third of countries worldwide legally mandate tuition-free public higher education, while completion rates have failed to keep pace with enrolment growth, with the global gross graduation ratio rising only modestly from 22% in 2013 to 27% in 2024, highlighting growing pressure on higher education systems globally.
Government investment in higher education currently averages around 0.8% of GDP globally, with the report warning that budget constraints are placing increasing strain on institutions worldwide.
UNESCO additionally raised concerns around academic freedom, staff wellbeing and unequal digital access, noting that one-third of the world’s population remains offline despite increasing digitalisation efforts.
The organisation also highlighted the challenges facing refugees and displaced learners, despite refugee participation in higher education increasing from 1% in 2019 to 9% in 2025.
UNESCO pointed to its Qualifications Passport initiative, currently operating in countries including Iraq, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as one mechanism aimed at supporting recognition of refugee qualifications.
UNESCO said the report was intended to support evidence-based policymaking as higher education systems globally continue to grapple with demographic shifts, geopolitical tensions, affordability pressures and technological disruption.
“Through major initiatives such as the Global Convention on Higher Education and the Qualifications Passport, UNESCO will continue to support countries in delivering high-quality higher education opportunities to everyone,” added El-Enany.
