In this article, we will take a look at the 25 most educated countries in the world.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela.
There is no gainsaying that truer words have never been spoken. An agent of change, education is a blessing that not everyone around the globe has access to, especially those residing in least developed countries (LDCs), which the United Nations (UN) defines as low-income countries battling severe structural impairments to sustainable development.
They are highly susceptible to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets. According to the pioneering global body, there are currently 46 countries on the list of LDCs, which is reviewed every three years by the Committee for Development (CDP). Ninety-five per cent of the world’s illiterate people live in LDCs or developing countries, and approximately 70% are women, reads a finding in author Dorte Verner’s book What Factors Influence World Literacy? Is Africa Different?
On the contrary, a developed country is an independent state with an established economy and technologically advanced infrastructure compared to other nations. According to the World Population Review, several factors determine whether or not a country is developed, including the Human Development Index (HDI) that is quantified by looking at a country’s human development, such as education, health, and life expectancy.
The reason it is important to highlight the distinction between LDCs and developed nations is that standard of living has an inevitable impact on education, making it easier to decipher the most educated countries in the world.
Needless to say, the Covid-19 epidemic has posed a bigger burden on governments and global organisations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, Global Citizen and Global Partnership, to tackle the rampant issue of inaccessibility to and lack of quality education in several countries. As per the EFW: Education finance watch 2021, published in the UNESCO Digital Library, two-thirds of low- and lower-middle-income countries, included in the data collected for EFW, have reduced their education budgets since the coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, only a third of upper-middle and high-income countries have cut down their education budgets.
Education is the right of every human being, irrespective of their class, creed, social status or age. Global Partnership outlines six points in reference to what classifies as great education.
However, for the global goal of education to be achieved, it is crucial to focus on good quality education policies, strategies and programs. And while education can help towards a more progressive and inclusive society, the harsh reality is that there are several barriers to achieving the global goal by 2030. Global Citizen cites a lack of funding for education, untrained teachers, lack of or overcrowded classrooms in countries like sub-Saharan Africa, dearth of learning materials, exclusion of children with disabilities, being the ‘wrong’ gender, living in a country at risk of conflict, long distances from home to school, hunger and poor nutrition, and education expenses as the main obstacles to education that people living in LDCs encounter on a daily basis.
UNICEF concludes that on any given school day, over one billion children around the world attend school. And while this figure may sound a tad bit pleasing to the ears, the sad truth is that for most of them, schooling does not lead to learning. This is termed as the “learning crisis” – one of the greatest global challenges and a result of the aforementioned barriers to education listed by the Global Citizen.
The consequences are serious: UNICEF states an estimated 617 million children and adolescents around the world are unable to reach minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, even though two-thirds of them are in school. The agency, responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide, has promised the implementation of three major plans for 2021. For starters, it aims to get 60 million out-of-school children access to early learning, primary or secondary education – up from 10 million. Secondly, it will ensure 93 million girls and boys are provided with individual education or early learning materials – up from 15.7 million and lastly, improving learning outcomes for girls and boys in 79 per cent of countries around the world.
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Our Methodology
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), countries follow a three-tier education system: Lower secondary, upper secondary and tertiary. Secondary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale: lower secondary education (the final phase of basic/primary education) and upper secondary education.
Secondary education takes place after six years of primary education and is compulsory in most countries. This paves the way for higher education, including vocational training or employment, which is known as tertiary education, also known as post-secondary education in some countries. It refers to any education pursued after high-school level, such as certificate programs, undergraduate degree programs, graduate degree programs, diplomas etc.
Hence, countries with a higher percentage of tertiary-sector qualified students, make the cut for the most educated countries in the world.
While countless surveys and studies have been carried out to evaluate the most educated countries in the world, we will be taking assistance from OECD’s latest findings for this paper. The organization’s list is based on the number of adult residents ages 25 to 64 who have received a tertiary education: two-year or four-year degrees or have received an education through a vocational or virtual online program.
With this context in mind, let’s now discuss our list of the 25 most educated countries in the world.
25 Most Educated Countries in the World
25. Austria
Population: 9.04 million
Tertiary Education: 32.39%
Last but not the least, Austria rounds off the tops 25 most educated countries in the world. Moreover, the OCED also notes that the country ranks higher than any other country in Europe in terms of well-being. 32.39% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the Republic of Austria.
*All Population statistics are from World Bank data.
24. Latvia
Population: 1.86 million
Tertiary Education: 33.88%
Study abroad portal Pyramid eServices reports the primary reason for international students to head to Latvia for further studies is because the cost of living is very low compared to the standard of living. The country ranks 24th on the list of the most educated countries in the world, with 33.88% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria.
23. Slovenia
Population: 2.08 million
Tertiary Education: 34.3%
As per the Republic of Slovenia’s Statistical Office, in the academic year 2020/21, 82,694 students were enrolled in tertiary education, almost 8% or almost 6,000 more than in the academic year 2019/20. Interestingly, more females opt for tertiary education in the country. 34.3% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in Slovenia.
22. France
Population: 65.4 million
Tertiary Education: 35.21%
With Paris as its capital, the country may be known for its flamboyant fashion houses but it does not hold back in providing quality education to local and international students. QS Top Universities reveals students who attain their higher-education from France often laud it for its multicultural study experience, uniting people from different nationalities from all over the world. 35.21% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the country.
21. Spain
Population: 46.7 million
Tertiary Education: 36.35%
Education.com states Spain has 45 public universities and 31 private universities today. 36.35% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the country.
20. The Netherlands
Population: 17.1 million
Tertiary Education: 31.17%
According to the European commission, “The great thing about the Dutch education system is that pupils can choose a school that suits their interests and convictions. Schools are free to choose their own teaching methods, topics, text books and other teaching materials. This applies to citizenship education too, as long as schools respect and teach our fundamental values and freedoms.” Hence, it comes as no surprise that New Zealand bags a spot on the list of 25 most educated countries in the world. 31.17% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the country.
19. New Zealand
Population: 4.8 million
Tertiary Education: 37.73%
Tertiary education in New Zealand comprises eight state-funded universities, 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) which have been unified into the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST), and about 550 Private Training Establishments (PTEs), which include English language schools. 37.73% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the country.
18. Denmark
Population: 5.8 million
Tertiary Education: 39.23%
With a population of almost six million, Denmark is 18th on the list of the most educated countries in the world. 39.23% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in this Scandinavian country.
17. Estonia
Population: 1.3 million
Tertiary Education: 39.66%
The European country has some of the world’s top-ranked universities and affordable tuition fees. 39.66% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in Estonia.
16. Belgium
Population: 11.6 million
Tertiary Education: 40.26%
According to OECD, student in Belgium perform above average in science, mathematics, and reading. Placing great emphasis on education, 40.26% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in Belgium.
15. Lithuania
Population: 2.6 million
Tertiary Education: 40.27%
Located in the Baltic region of Europe, Lithuania is among the 15 most educated countries in the world. 40.27% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the country.
14. Luxembourg
Population: 634,814
Tertiary Education: 40.33%
Bordered by France, Belgium and Germany, Luxembourg is the 14th most educated country in the world right now. 40.33% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in this European country.
13. Sweden
Population: 10.1 million
Tertiary Education: 41.94%
The Swedish government pays great heed to quality education. Higher-education in Sweden is grant-aided and free of charge. 41.94% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the country.
12. Iceland
Population: 356,991
Tertiary Education: 42.38%
The country’s low population is evidently due to its harsh geographical landscape. Iceland has the lowest population density amongst all the European countries in the world. 42.38% adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria here.
11. Switzerland
Population: 8.7 million
Tertiary Education: 42.59%
Boasting one of the most advanced education systems in the world, 42.59% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in Switzerland.
10. Norway
Population: 5.46 million
Tertiary Education: 43.21%
Rounding off the top 10 in the list of most educated countries in the world is Norway. 43.21% adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the country.
9. Finland
Population: 5.5 million
Tertiary Education: 44.30%
In Finland, 44.30% adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria. Moreover, did you know all Finnish teachers are required to have a master’s degree?
8. Australia
Population: 25.8 million
Tertiary Education: 45.36%
Securing the eighth spot on the most educated countries in the world, 45.36% adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in Australia. While most school going children are enrolled in private schools, a major chunk attend public universities as they grow older.
7. Ireland
Population: 4.9 million
Tertiary Education: 45.66%
With a population of 4.9 million people, 45.66% adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria in the Republic of Ireland. State-funded education is offered at all levels of education, however most parents prefer sending their children to private schools.
6. United Kingdom
Population: 68.2 million
Tertiary Education: 45.74%
Coming in at number six on the list of the most educated countries in the world, the United Kingdom has 45.74% of adults meeting the OCED tertiary education criteria.
5. United States
Population: 328.2 million
Tertiary Education: 46.36%
Grabbing the fifth spot on the list of the most educated countries in the world, 46.36% of adults meet the OCED tertiary education criteria.
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