Women Take Lead in Global University Enrolment for First Time, UNESCO Reports

A new UNESCO report shows that in 2024 there were 114 women enrolled in higher education for every 100 men worldwide. Most regions have reached gender parity except sub-Saharan Africa. Central and South Asia moved from just 68 women per 100 men in 2000 to full parity in 2023. Yet women still hold only about a quarter of doctorate-level leadership roles. Global student numbers more than doubled over the last two decades, rising from 100 million in 2000 to 269 million in 2024. But regional gaps remain: enrolment is around 80% in Western Europe and North America, 59% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 37% in the Arab States, 30% in South and West Asia, and just 9% in sub-Saharan Africa. The report also highlights a three-and-a-half-fold increase in international student mobility since 2000, with half of all mobile students studying in seven countries. Private institutions now educate one-third of all students globally. Challenges persist for displaced learners, despite initiatives to validate qualifications without full documentation. Funding pressures and rapid expansion are straining quality, and only one in five universities has a formal AI policy by 2025.

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