Number of students doubled in 20 years globally, mobility tripled but geographical inequalities remain

The participation gap: access vs. completion

The "massification" of higher education is one of the most striking trends of the 21^st century. The global gross enrollment ratio (GER) now stands at 43%, up from roughly 10% in 2000. However, this growth masks "stark regional disparities". While enrollment rates in Europe and North America hover around 80%, sub-Saharan Africa remains at 9%, far below the world average.

The report highlights that getting students through the door does not guarantee they will graduate. The global gross graduation ratio is just 27%, suggesting that barriers such as financial constraints and weak institutional support lead to high dropout rates. "Expansion alone does not guarantee progression," the authors warn, calling for stronger support mechanisms throughout the student journey.

Equity and inclusion: beyond formal commitments

The report finds a significant disconnect between policy and reality. While 84% of countries include fostering access in their national plans, only 16% have enforceable quota legislation for marginalised groups.

Key findings on equity include:

• Only 9% of refugees access higher education, despite a nine-fold increase in their enrollment since 2019.
• Although 16% of the world population has a disability, only 8% of countries refer to students with disabilities in their quota legislation.
• Women represent the majority of students at the bachelor’s (52%) and master’s (55%) levels, but remain underrepresented at the doctoral level (47%).

The digital frontier and the AI Artificial intelligence regulatory vacuum

Digitalisation is now a pillar of national strategies, with 77% of countries including digital education services in their higher education plans. However, a "regulatory gap" persists regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI). While 61% of faculty report using AI in their professional practice, 80% of institutions lack adequate AI guidance.

Furthermore, digital divides remain "clear and concerning". One-third of the global population remains offline, and in sub-Saharan Africa, mobile download speeds are three times slower than the global average. The report also notes a linguistic imbalance: 90% of open educational resources are produced in Europe and North America, predominantly in English.

Academic freedom and the teaching crisis

The report states that academic freedom has regressed to levels "not seen in 50 years". Currently, only 65% of countries provide legal guarantees for academic freedom, which are often ignored in practice.

Teaching personnel are also facing a "crisis" of well-being. In the United States, 68% of faculty held non-permanent or non-tenure-track positions as of 2022. Globally, women make up 44% of teaching staff but hold only one-fourth of senior leadership positions.

Mobility: the rise of new hubs

While traditional destinations for student mobility like the U.S. United States and UK United Kingdom remain dominant, new regional hubs are emerging. Türkiye has seen a six-fold increase in international students over the last decade, while the United Arab Emirates has seen a five-fold increase.

"International student mobility has become a topic of growing importance," the report concludes, yet it remains "elitist," with fewer than 3% of all students worldwide participating in such opportunities.

A call for evidence-based reform

The report introduces the Higher Education Policy Observatory (HEPO) as a permanent infrastructure for monitoring these trends. Borhene Chakroun, Interim Director of the International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC), invites stakeholders to see the report as a "call to action" rather than a static document.

"The challenges ahead, while immense, are not insurmountable," the report notes, pointing to "innovative financing models" and "growing recognition of foreign qualifications" as beacons of hope for a more inclusive future.