‎Women now outnumber men in higher education worldwide, but they remain significantly underrepresented at doctoral and senior academic leadership levels, according to a new UNESCO global trends report released on 12 May 2026.

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‎The report 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. Despite the expansion, UNESCO warned that deep inequalities in access, completion rates and research opportunities persist, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

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‎Globally, there were 114 women enrolled in higher education for every 100 men in 2024, with gender parity achieved in nearly all regions except sub-Saharan Africa. Central and Southern Asia recorded one of the strongest improvements, moving from 68 women per 100 men in 2000 to parity in 2023.

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‎However, UNESCO noted that women continue to face barriers at the highest academic levels. Female students remain underrepresented in doctoral education and occupy only about one-quarter of senior leadership positions in academia worldwide.

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‎The findings are contained in UNESCO’s first Higher Education Global Trends Report, which analysed new data from 146 countries. The report also showed that higher education participation now represents 43% of the global population within the typical university-age bracket of 18 to 24 years.

‎Regional disparities remain severe. While 80% of young people in Western Europe and North America are enrolled in higher education, the figure drops to just 9% in sub-Saharan Africa. Enrolment rates stand at 59% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 37% in the Arab States region, and 30% in South and West Asia.

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UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany said the rapid growth in higher education demand highlights the sector’s critical role in building sustainable societies, but stressed that expansion alone does not guarantee equal opportunities.

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‎He called for innovative financing models and stronger policies to ensure quality and inclusive higher education systems globally.

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‎The report further revealed that international student mobility has tripled since 2000, reaching nearly 7.3 million students in 2023. However, mobility remains uneven, benefiting only 3% of the world’s student population. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, Russia and France continue to host half of all international students globally

‎UNESCO also raised concerns about completion rates, noting that graduation growth has not kept pace with enrolment expansion. The global graduation ratio increased only slightly from 22% in 2013 to 27% in 2024.

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On funding, the agency said government investment in higher education averages just 0.8% of global GDP, while fiscal pressures are straining universities and widening concerns over quality and equitable access.

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‎The report additionally highlighted the growing impact of digital technologies and artificial intelligence on teaching and learning, noting that only one in five universities had a formal AI policy in place as of 2025.

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