By Faith Ajewole
Women now outnumber men in higher education globally, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has revealed, although disparities in access and academic advancement persist across regions.
UNESCO disclosed this in its first report on global trends in higher education, released on Tuesday.
According to the report, there were 114 women enrolled in higher education for every 100 men worldwide in 2024, with gender parity achieved in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa.
The organisation noted that Central and South Asia recorded significant progress, moving from 68 women enrolled per 100 men in 2000 to gender parity in 2023.
Despite the increase in enrolment, UNESCO said access to higher education remains uneven. While nearly 80 per cent of young people in Western Europe and North America are enrolled in tertiary institutions, enrolment stands at nine per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, 30 per cent in South and West Asia, and 37 per cent in the Arab States region.
The report also showed that women remain underrepresented at the doctoral level and occupy only about a quarter of academic leadership positions globally.
UNESCO further revealed that global higher education enrolment more than doubled over the past two decades, rising from about 100 million students in 2000 to 269 million in 2024.
UNESCO Director-General, Khaled El-Enany, said the growing demand for higher education highlights its importance in building sustainable societies, but noted that expansion has not translated into equal opportunities for all.
“However, this expansion does not always translate into equal opportunities, underscoring the need to develop innovative funding models to provide quality and inclusive higher education,” he said.
The organisation added that funding pressures and the rapid expansion of higher education systems continue to strain quality standards worldwide.
News Credit: THE PUNCH E-PAPER
