Women now outnumber men in higher education globally – UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has revealed that women now outnumber men in higher education globally, although disparities in access and completion rates persist across various regions.

In its first-ever report on global trends in higher education, UNESCO disclosed that, in 2024, there were 114 women enrolled for every 100 men globally, with gender parity achieved in most regions except sub-Saharan Africa.

“Women now outnumber men in higher education: globally, there were 114 women enrolled in higher education for every 100 men in 2024. Gender parity has been achieved in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa,” the report stated.

The report further revealed that Central and South Asia had made significant progress, with the female enrolment ratio moving from 68 women for every 100 men in 2000 to gender parity in 2023.

However, women remain underrepresented at the doctoral level, holding only about a quarter of leadership positions in academia.

The report also noted a significant increase in global higher education enrolments, which more than doubled in the last two decades, rising from approximately 100 million students in 2000 to 269 million in 2024.

Despite the global growth, the report highlighted regional disparities in access to higher education. While about 80% of young people in Western Europe and North America are enrolled in higher education, the figures are significantly lower in other regions, with 59% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 37% in the Arab States, 30% in South and West Asia, and a mere 9% in sub-Saharan Africa.

UNESCO’s Director-General, Khaled El-Enany, emphasized the growing demand for higher education and its importance in building sustainable societies. “This new report highlights the growing demand for higher education, which plays an irreplaceable role in building sustainable societies,” he said.

However, El-Enany also pointed out that this expansion does not always translate into equal opportunities, highlighting the need for innovative funding models to provide quality and inclusive higher education.

The report also showed a surge in international student mobility, which has more than tripled over the last 20 years, from 2.1 million students in 2000 to nearly 7.3 million in 2023. However, only 3% of the world’s student population currently benefits from international mobility opportunities.

The report identified seven countries – the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, Russia, and France – as hosting half of all international students globally. It also pointed to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates as increasingly popular destinations for international students.

Additionally, UNESCO revealed that private institutions now account for one-third of the global student population, with Latin America and the Caribbean having the highest share at 49% in 2023.

On the issue of refugees’ access to higher education, UNESCO acknowledged the barriers still faced by displaced individuals. Although enrolment rates have risen from 1% in 2019 to 9% in 2025, challenges remain, particularly around the recognition of qualifications where documentation is often incomplete or unavailable. UNESCO is addressing this through its Qualifications Passport initiative, which is currently active in Iraq, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Finally, the report highlighted that funding pressures and the rapid expansion of higher education systems are straining quality standards globally. Government investment in higher education currently represents an average of 0.8% of global GDP.

UNESCO also noted that digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly transforming teaching and learning, but only one in five universities had a formal AI policy by 2025.