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Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 20.46 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
20.46 million number
Change on year
up 0.5%
Rank
23rd
of 45 groups
All-time high
22.05 million number
in 2010
All-time low
9.20 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1970–2019

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M197019942019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 20.46 million number for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 6.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 22.05 million number in 2010 and was at its lowest, 9.20 million number, in 1970.

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 23rd 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 (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Year number Change
1970 9.20 million number —
1971 9.50 million number +3.2%
1972 9.69 million number +2.0%
1973 9.90 million number +2.1%
1974 10.09 million number +1.9%
1975 10.32 million number +2.4%
1976 10.54 million number +2.1%
1977 10.77 million number +2.2%
1978 10.90 million number +1.3%
1979 10.94 million number +0.4%
1980 10.92 million number -0.2%
1981 10.90 million number -0.2%
1982 10.85 million number -0.4%
1983 10.81 million number -0.4%
1984 10.80 million number -0.1%
1985 10.82 million number +0.2%
1986 10.73 million number -0.9%
1987 10.66 million number -0.7%
1988 10.60 million number -0.5%
1989 10.63 million number +0.2%
1990 10.80 million number +1.6%
1991 10.87 million number +0.7%
1992 10.77 million number -0.9%
1993 10.63 million number -1.3%
1994 10.74 million number +1.0%
1995 10.88 million number +1.2%
1996 11.39 million number +4.8%
1997 12.00 million number +5.3%
1998 12.36 million number +3.0%
1999 13.22 million number +6.9%
2000 14.35 million number +8.6%
2001 15.81 million number +10.2%
2002 17.20 million number +8.7%
2003 18.55 million number +7.8%
2004 19.07 million number +2.8%
2005 19.99 million number +4.8%
2006 20.84 million number +4.3%
2007 21.41 million number +2.7%
2008 21.77 million number +1.7%
2009 21.97 million number +0.9%
2010 22.05 million number +0.4%
2011 21.71 million number -1.6%
2012 21.18 million number -2.4%
2013 20.96 million number -1.1%
2014 20.59 million number -1.7%
2015 20.16 million number -2.1%
2016 20.16 million number -0.0%
2017 20.28 million number +0.6%
2018 20.36 million number +0.4%
2019 20.46 million number +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 10.19 million number 9.20 million number 10.94 million number 10
1980s 10.77 million number 10.60 million number 10.92 million number 10
1990s 11.37 million number 10.63 million number 13.22 million number 10
2000s 19.10 million number 14.35 million number 21.97 million number 10
2010s 20.79 million number 20.16 million number 22.05 million number 10

Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 20 Colombia 2.41 million number compare
  2. 21 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 2.12 million number compare
  3. 22 Spain 2.05 million number compare
  4. 23 Viet Nam 1.97 million number compare
  5. 24 Italy 1.90 million number compare
  6. 25 Peru 1.90 million number compare
  7. 26 Pakistan 1.88 million number compare

See the full ranking of 238 places →

More education data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 20.46 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 22.05 million number in 2010.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 9.20 million number in 1970.
How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 23rd out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 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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Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number/europe-and-central-asia-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
238 places, 8,058 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.