Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 18.26 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
18.26 million number
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
25th
of 45 groups
All-time high
18.75 million number
in 2010
All-time low
8.62 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) is 18.26 million number, measured in 2019.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) peaked at 18.75 million number in 2010 and was at its lowest, 8.62 million number, in 1970.
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 25th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.62 million number | — |
| 1971 | 8.88 million number | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 9.08 million number | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 9.25 million number | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 9.39 million number | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 9.58 million number | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 9.73 million number | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 9.91 million number | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 10.03 million number | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 10.06 million number | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 10.05 million number | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 10.05 million number | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 10.05 million number | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 10.07 million number | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 10.09 million number | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 10.14 million number | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 10.06 million number | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 9.99 million number | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 9.93 million number | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 9.91 million number | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 10.06 million number | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 10.06 million number | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 9.94 million number | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 9.69 million number | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 9.66 million number | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 9.66 million number | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 9.95 million number | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 10.38 million number | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 10.72 million number | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 11.31 million number | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 12.22 million number | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 13.40 million number | +9.7% |
| 2002 | 14.60 million number | +8.9% |
| 2003 | 15.80 million number | +8.2% |
| 2004 | 16.21 million number | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 16.99 million number | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 17.72 million number | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 18.20 million number | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 18.41 million number | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 18.58 million number | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 18.75 million number | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 18.60 million number | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 18.31 million number | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 18.27 million number | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 18.09 million number | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 17.80 million number | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 17.86 million number | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 18.03 million number | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 18.16 million number | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 18.26 million number | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.45 million number | 8.62 million number | 10.06 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.03 million number | 9.91 million number | 10.14 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.14 million number | 9.66 million number | 11.31 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.21 million number | 12.22 million number | 18.58 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.21 million number | 17.80 million number | 18.75 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
More education data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.66 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1746 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0626 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 28.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 906,553 (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 22.7% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.7% (2025)
All data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) was 18.26 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 18.75 million number in 2010.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.62 million number in 1970.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 25th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.