Key Education Statistics From Around The World
The education sector has seen rapid transformations in recent years — predominantly as a result of advancements in technology and the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, education is more digital, more virtual and less interconnected with physical locations. However, despite these shifts and trends, education — especially at higher levels — is more important than ever.
We’re taking a closer look at key education statistics worldwide as both learners and institutions navigate increasingly digital and flexible learning environments. Read on..
The education sector has seen rapid transformations in recent years — predominantly as a result of advancements in technology and the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, education is more digital, more virtual and less interconnected with physical locations. However, despite these shifts and trends, education — especially at higher levels — is more important than ever.
We’re taking a closer look at key education statistics worldwide as both learners and institutions navigate increasingly digital and flexible learning environments.
Europe and the UK
When it comes to educational attainment by learners in the United Kingdom, these individuals had the fifth highest average score in Europe, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings. Within this category, the country was outperformed only by Ireland, Poland, Finland and Estonia.
This growth in performance is promising for the state of education in this region and is slated to persist with continued efforts from the government. In fact, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports that education spending is now the second-largest element of public service spending in the UK behind health — representing about 4.5% of national income.
The state of application rates in the UK
Despite concerns over COVID-19, applicants for students studying at home were up by 2.1% in 2020 and 5.1% in 2021, according to research from the UK Parliament. This increase was driven by a larger number of 18-year-olds in the population and higher application rates in this age group. Applications from other overseas students saw record level increases in 2020 and 2021.
How many international students studied in the UK in 2020-2021?
In 2020-2021, there were 605,130 international students studying at UK higher education institutions, per a report from the Higher Education Statistics agency. Among these students, 152,905 were from the EU and 452,225 were non-EU learners — with Chinese students making up the largest group at 143,820 students in the 2020-2021 school year.
This represents a trend of considerable growth from the 485,645 international students pursuing their degrees in the UK in the 2018-2019 school year, according to Study UK.
How many adults hold a tertiary degree in Europe?
According to education statistics from Eurostat researchers in 2021, 41% of the EU’s population aged 25-34 years had completed tertiary education. This portrays a clear gender difference, with 47% of women aged 25-34 completing tertiary education compared to 36% of men.
Moving forward, the EU Member States have set a target of increasing the share of the EU population aged 25-34 who have completed tertiary education to 45% by 2030. The push for higher education from the government will prove to be an incredible boon to the education sector in this region.
Australia and New Zealand
What is the market size of the Online Education industry in Australia?
The Online Education industry is characterised by education courses or units with at least 80% of the content delivered online. Recent years have seen an accelerated entry into the industry, as education institutions benefit from the greater accessibility and reliability of the internet and mobile technology — helping them attract, engage and retain more students.
The market size of the Online Education industry was $8.4 billion in 2022, according to IBISWorld. With technological advancements, calls for flexible learning and the increasing penetration of mobile and smart devices, this growth is anticipated to continue.
International student enrolment in Australia
As a result of travel restrictions during the pandemic, the number of international students in Australia fell dramatically. According to ICEF Monitor, overall enrolments fell by 17% to 570,626 in 2021. Falling international enrollment worldwide inevitably had far-reaching effects on institutions after the pandemic — particularly on institutional revenue.
However, the same report found the market in Australia is beginning to recover, with the number of visas granted to international students up by 34% in December 2021 versus December 2020.
The United States
The growth of verified credentials
Verified credentials are an open standard for digital credentials — representing information found in physical credentials. With institutions increasing their digital strategies to provide an unparalleled learning experience, these digital credentials are a trend that’s anticipated to endure.
According to a 2020 report from Forbes, the pandemic, along with evolving technology, accelerated a shift towards verifiable digital credentials in the United States, with a 70% increase in enrolment in short-term credential classes.
The state of educational technology (EdTech) in the U.S.
As demand for online learning grows, a larger investment of education spending is going to EdTech solutions. The global EdTech and smart classroom market size was valued at $88.82 billion in 2021, per a report from Fortune Business Insights. The market is now projected to grow to $319.65 billion by 2029, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.8%.
The U.S. is leading the global investment in EdTech with Holon IQ reporting $8.3 billion in funding in the U.S. — up from $2.5 billion in 2020. This is typically attributed to the reduced cost of online learning material and rising investments in the education sector.
Key statistics for Open Badges in the United States
Open Badges are a type of digital badge or credential that’s used to visually symbolise learning accomplishments. They can be awarded for any definable academic achievement and earned in a number of learning environments.
As of 2020, the total number of all Open Badges issued to date, across the globe, stood at 43,363,239. This represents an 82% increase in total badges available to be earned and an 80% increase in issued badges.
The U.S. represents a large portion of Open Badge distribution, according to 2020 findings from IMS Global which reported the total number of available badges to be earned from issuers in the United States at 381,561 — in comparison to the 475,000 available badges to be earned worldwide.
India
With the highest number of universities worldwide, India is a huge segment of learners to keep in mind. Data from Statista found an estimated 5,288 universities in India — followed by the United States with 3,216 universities and Indonesia with 2,595 estimated institutions.
The growth of online learning in India and the Asia-Pacific region
According to the World Economic Forum, India saw 13.6 million learners enrol in online learning in 2021. At the country level, they’re now only topped by the United States — which saw 17.3 million students take advantage of online learning opportunities.
This growth is being driven by supply, the demand for more flexible and convenient learning environments and macroeconomic conditions — including higher internet penetration, the reduced cost of online education and the greater availability of quality education in the region.
However, regionally, the Asia-Pacific region saw the biggest growth in online student presence with 28 million new online learners enrolling for 68 million courses, followed by North America, Europe and Latin America.
The rise of EdTech in the Asia-Pacific region
While the U.S. is currently the leader in EdTech investment and use, the Asia-Pacific region is positioning itself to be close behind.
This region is not only seeing the rapid adoption of online learning but is now also the fastest-growing region worldwide in the adoption of EdTech — growing at a CAGR of 17.5% and rising from $17.6 billion in 2019 to $64.5 billion by 2027, per a report from TechHQ.
According to Statista, the EdTech market in Japan alone is projected to grow to nearly 362.5 billion Japanese Yen (approximately $2.6 billion) by 2027.
How Digitary supports education institutions navigating learning today
The education sector today is characterised by digital solutions that are aimed at empowering both learners and institutions towards more successful outcomes — for the ultimate benefit of both parties. If your institution is ready to take advantage of tech solutions that can help your institution compete in a fiercely competitive educational environment, Digitary can help.
The Digitary by Parchment solution allows institutions to take advantage of digital credentialing solutions with ease. Today, Digitary is a trusted partner to over 150 leading institutions worldwide, enabling millions of people to share their verified digital credentials and academic achievements online securely, quickly and easily. Our platform ultimately aims to help education providers streamline some of their most arduous processes while keeping institutions on pace with the technological expectations of learners, while improving the overall learning experience in the long run.
If your organisation is ready to leverage powerful digital solutions that can lead to more successful outcomes for your institution and its learners, contact us today for more information or get started.
