According to the report, there are now about 114 women in higher education for every 100 men in 2024. Despite this global progress, UNESCO noted that the trend is not evenly distributed across regions, with Sub-Saharan Africa remaining the only region where men still outnumber women in universities.
Rising university enrollment worldwide
UNESCO reports that access to higher education has expanded significantly over the past two decades. Global student numbers have more than doubled, rising from about 100 million in 2000 to 269 million in 2024.
However, the growth has not translated into equal access across regions. While Western Europe and North America show the highest participation rates at around 80% of young people in higher education, other regions lag behind significantly.
- Western Europe & North America — 80%
- Latin America & Caribbean — 59%
- Arab States — 37%
- South & West Asia — 30%
- Sub-Saharan Africa — 9%
Gender gaps persist beyond enrollment
Although women now dominate overall enrollment, UNESCO highlighted continuing inequalities at higher academic levels. Women remain underrepresented at the PhD stage and hold only about 25% of leadership positions in universities globally, indicating a persistent “glass ceiling” in academia.
International student mobility grows, but remains concentrated
The report also shows a steady rise in international education. The number of students studying outside their home countries increased from 2.1 million in 2000 to 7.3 million in 2023. However, UNESCO emphasized that global mobility is still limited, with only about 3% of all students studying abroad.
Most international students continue to concentrate in a small group of destination countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, Russia, and France.
Funding gaps and uneven investment
UNESCO also raised concerns about global underinvestment in education. It noted that many governments spend only about 0.8% of global GDP on higher education, while just one-third of countries provide fully free public university education.
AI reshaping learning, but policy lagging behind
The report further highlighted the growing impact of artificial intelligence and digital tools on education systems. However, it warned that policy frameworks are lagging, with only one in five universities currently having a formal AI strategy in place.
Overall, UNESCO’s findings point to a rapidly expanding global education system that is becoming more accessible in numbers, but still marked by deep inequalities in gender balance, geography, funding, and technological readiness.