Universities Across The Globe: Student Population Insights

The number of students enrolled in universities worldwide is a topic of significant interest, with research indicating that there are currently around 250 million higher education students across the globe. This figure is projected to increase substantially over the coming years, with estimates suggesting that by 2030, there will be approximately 380 million university students, rising to 472 million by 2035, and surpassing 594 million by 2040. This growth in student numbers is driven by various factors, including economic development, population trends, and the expanding demand for higher education.

There are around 222 million students enrolled in tertiary education globally, up from 100 million in 2000

There are currently around 222 million students enrolled in tertiary education globally. This is a significant increase from the 100 million students enrolled in 2000. The number of students enrolled in higher education has been steadily increasing, and it is projected to reach nearly 600 million by 2040. This growth is driven by increasing global demand for higher education, fuelled by underlying economic and population trends.

The rise in demand for higher education has led to intense competition between universities to attract students. As a result, higher education has become a thriving sector. This growth has been highly uneven, with explosive growth in some countries and declining enrolment in others. Notably, the Global South, particularly India, has experienced a significant increase in both the number of higher education institutions and student enrolment. In contrast, enrolment in the Global North, including North America and Europe, has been declining since 2011.

The shift in the centre of gravity of higher education from the Global North to the Global South has important implications. The number of students in the Global North peaked in 2011 at around 58.3 million and has been decreasing since, while the Global South's student population has nearly doubled from approximately 78 million in 2006 to 150 million in 2018. This shift is also reflected in the changing global rankings of universities by student population. For instance, Tribhuvan University in Nepal had the highest number of registered students worldwide in the 2023/24 academic year, with 482,000 students.

The growth in higher education is not limited to specific regions or countries but is a global phenomenon. By 2035, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to become significant markets for higher education, with 18 countries from this region projected to be in the top 50 in terms of the population aged 18 to 23. Additionally, the composition of global enrolment by region is also shifting. East Asia has held the top spot since 2003, driven by the expansion of China's higher education system.

The increasing demand for higher education has led to a corresponding rise in private higher education institutions. About one-third of students are enrolled in private universities worldwide, and this sector is becoming increasingly popular. However, public institutions still account for the majority of enrolments, with 70% of global enrolments in 2018. Despite the growth in private institutions, public spending on higher education has also increased significantly, reaching nearly US$1 trillion in 2018.

By 2025, about eight million students will study abroad, triple the number in 2020

There are around 3,200 universities in the US, and 5,350 universities in India, which has the most universities in the world. Indonesia comes second, with 3,300 universities.

In terms of student numbers, there were around 20 million Indian students enrolled in higher education in the US in 2023-24, with 250,000 of those expected to be international students. In the same year, Canada was expected to host 900,000 international students, 320,000 of whom would be Indian. The UK was expected to host 750,000 international students, 150,000 of whom would be Indian.

International student numbers are on the rise. In the 2022-23 academic year, the number of US students studying abroad increased by 49% to 280,716. This represents 1% of all US students enrolled at institutions of higher education in the US, and less than 10% of US college graduates.

By 2025, the number of students studying abroad is expected to reach 8 million, triple the number in 2020. This is an increase of 3 million from 2023, when around 5 million students were enrolled in foreign institutions. This growth is driven by demographic changes, and it is projected to continue, with 9 million students expected to be studying abroad by 2030.

The leading countries sending students overseas are India and China, with Nigeria also showing considerable numbers. Regionally, Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to see the fastest growth in outbound student mobility.

The top host countries for international students are Luxembourg, Australia, the UK, Switzerland, and Austria. These five countries host half of all international students worldwide. The leading regions hosting international students are East Asia and the Pacific (19%), Eastern Europe (10%), and North America and Western Europe (57% combined).

33% of students enrolled in higher education worldwide are enrolled in private universities

The demand for higher education has been increasing globally, with the number of students enrolled in universities projected to reach nearly 600 million by 2040. This growth is driven by various factors, including expanding access, a rising number of institutions, and increasing awareness of the benefits of higher education. Notably, 33% of students enrolled in higher education worldwide are enrolled in private universities.

Private universities are becoming an increasingly popular choice for students, with about one-third of students opting for private institutions globally. This trend is particularly prominent in Latin America and Asia, where 49% and 42% of students, respectively, choose private universities. The appeal of private schools can be attributed to various factors, such as the quality of education, specialized programs, and the potential for smaller class sizes.

In contrast, public universities remain the predominant choice for students in other regions, such as North America and Europe. However, the dynamic between public and private education varies across countries and regions. For instance, in the United States, the average annual tuition for private institutions is significantly higher than that of public universities, which may influence students' choices.

While the number of students pursuing higher education continues to grow, it is important to address existing inequalities in access to education. In many countries, enrollment in higher education is skewed towards students from higher-income backgrounds, with a smaller proportion of lower-income students having the opportunity to pursue tertiary education.

Furthermore, the growth in student numbers has not been evenly distributed across the globe. Regions such as East Asia, South Asia, and Latin America have experienced significant increases in higher education enrollment, with East Asia surpassing North America and Europe in the number of enrolled students since 2003. This shift highlights the expanding access to and demand for higher education in these regions.

In 2015, over 60% of students in six Latin American countries were enrolled in private institutions

As of 2023, there are over 5,350 universities in India, making it the country with the most universities worldwide. Indonesia comes second with 3,300 universities, and the United States third with 3,200.

Latin America is increasingly becoming a competitive destination for international students. In 2019, a survey by QS found that 90% of participating Latin American universities had an international strategy in place, with goals including comprehensive internationalisation, expansion and improvement of international mobility, and the development and promotion of new international partnerships. During the pandemic, Latin American universities also dramatically improved their online learning platforms, making them more attractive to international students.

In 2015, Latin America was the fourth-largest region for higher education enrolment, with nearly 137,000 international students. This number is expected to grow, as 23 Latin American countries signed a new Convention for the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Higher Education Diplomas in 2019, in an effort to keep graduate talent in the region.

Despite the progress, education remains a challenge in Latin America. While primary school coverage is almost universal, there are still around 23 million children between the ages of 4 and 17 who are outside of the formal education system. Tertiary education has the lowest coverage, with 70% of people between the ages of 18 and 25 not enrolled in any form of education.

The past four decades have seen tremendous growth in Latin America's higher education sector, with over 3,000 institutions now offering higher education. Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina account for 10 million of the 17 million students enrolled in higher education in the region. However, access to higher education is heavily influenced by income distribution, with private institutions catering to a particular subset of the population.

The region has seen a clear trend towards the commercialisation and privatisation of higher education, with enrolment in private institutions increasing by nearly 8% between 1994 and 2002, while public institutions have seen a corresponding decline. This shift is partly due to budgetary limitations in the late 20th century, which led to a surge in private universities.

Latin America's higher education institutions are predominantly private, public, and federal colleges and universities. The exact distribution of public and private universities varies by country. For example, Brazil's federal universities make up an enrolment of 600,000 students in 99 institutions.

The region's higher education sector faces several challenges, including a lack of investment in research and development, which results in less innovation. There is also a need to modernise higher education and make it more globally competitive.

The number of students in higher education is expected to reach nearly 600 million by 2040

The number of students enrolled in higher education worldwide is expected to reach nearly 600 million by 2040, according to a study by Angel Calderon, the principal advisor for planning and research at RMIT University in Melbourne. This figure represents a significant increase from the roughly 216 million students enrolled in higher education as of 2016. The study, titled "Massification of Higher Education Revisited", projects a steady growth in global demand for higher education, resulting in an anticipated enrolment of nearly 380 million students by 2030 and 472 million by 2035. This projected growth averages out to an increase of 4.2% each year.

Mr. Calderon attributes this dramatic growth to underlying economic and population trends. The United Nations (UN) projects that the population of college-aged individuals (18-23 years old) will peak by 2030 and then continue to grow at a slower rate. By 2040, the global population of college-aged individuals is expected to reach 800 million. However, it is important to note that the college-aged cohort has been decreasing as a percentage of the total global population. They will represent 9% of the world's population in 2030 and 8.4% in 2040.

The composition of global enrolment by region is also shifting. Until 2002, North America and Europe collectively enrolled the most significant number of higher education students. However, in 2003, East Asia took the lead, mainly due to the expansion of China's higher education system. As of 2016, there were nearly 44 million students enrolled in Chinese universities, compared to 20 million in the US, which was previously the global leader. Since then, East Asia has maintained its top position, while South and West Asia have surpassed North America and Europe to become the second-largest region for higher education enrolment.

Despite facing challenges such as funding, programming quality, and institutional capacity, Africa is projected to see significant growth in higher education enrolment. Mr. Calderon's analysis estimates that total enrolment across the continent will triple from 7.4 million students in 2015 to nearly 22 million by 2040. By 2035, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to become significant markets for higher education, with 18 countries from the region projected to be in the top 50 in terms of population growth for the 18-23 age cohort.

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