Tertiary Education

Tertiary education—all formal post-secondary education, including public and private universities, colleges, technical training institutes, and vocational schools—is instrumental in developing skills and preparing young people for jobs, fostering growth, and reducing poverty. A highly skilled workforce, with lifelong access to a solid post-secondary education, is a prerequisite for innovation and growth: Well-educated people are more employable and productive, earn higher wages, and cope with economic shocks better.

Tertiary education benefits the individual and society, providing relevant job skills and preparing students to be active members in their communities. Graduates are more environmentally conscious, have healthier habits, and have a higher level of civic participation. Increased tax revenues from higher earnings, and healthier families contribute to stronger nations.

Around 222 million students are enrolled in tertiary education globally, up from 100 million in 2000, and demand is increasing for good quality tertiary education. Tertiary education graduates enjoy an estimated 17% increase in earningsas compared with 10% for primary and 7% for secondary education. However, tertiary education remains out of reach for many of the world’s poorest and most marginalized.

Matching skills to the needs of the current and future labor market remains a major challenge. Governments are recognizing that educational systems must be responsive to evolving social and economic demands and needs within the knowledge economy, which increasingly demands a better-trained, more skilled, and adaptable workforce. Technical and vocational education and training can provide an effective and efficient complement to traditional university studies in providing students with skills and knowledge relevant to the labor market.

As enrollment has expanded, publicly funded institutions are strained, and many countries with limited resources are struggling to finance the growing needs of more students without compromising educational quality. In response, many countries are restructuring their tertiary education systems to enhance their reach and effectiveness, but progress has been uneven. Countries engaging in reforms should prioritize equitable access, improved learning and skills development, efficient retention, and the needs of the labor market. These reforms can turn successes in increased educational attainment into increased and sustained economic and social development.

Tertiary education systems are at the heart of the big transformations required throughout economies and societies to create jobs, build human capital and spur innovation. The benefits include higher employment levels, higher wages, greater social stability, increased civic engagement, and better health outcomes.

The World Bank’s  STEERing Tertiary Education: Toward Resilient Systems that Deliver for All   describes the World Bank’s approach to support the development of effective, equitable, efficient, and resilient tertiary education systems and institutions.

The paper provides principles and a framework for policymakers and other tertiary education stakeholders to respond to the needs for advanced skills and lifelong learning in support of growth and development.

Strategically diversified systems: Developing future-oriented strategies that position tertiary education to contribute to growth and competitiveness as well as social cohesion and human development. Ensuring that tertiary education supports lifelong learning  with flexible pathways, second-chance options, and greater adaptability to the needs and opportunities afforded by employers, civil society, and governments.

Technology: Harnessing the power of technology to improve teaching and research capacity while acknowledging and countering the impact of expanding digital divides. Building a digital ecosystem with the help of National Research and Education Networks and effective collaboration across government portfolios.

Equity: Acting to ensure that equity and inclusion in access and success are a driving ethos for an effective and relevant tertiary education system.

Efficiency: Improving information systems so that sectors, subsectors, and institutions can be managed and enhanced using evidence and sound information. Devising and deploying governance, financing, and quality assurance instruments that are designed to weather the current and potential future crises.

Resilience: Build resilience by taking stock of COVID-19 successes and failures of the COVID-19 and analyzing options that would have mitigated the failures. Use adaptive governance frameworks to adopt interventions to address challenges facing tertiary education as a result of the pandemic, such as diminished resources, infrastructure for distance and blended learning models, pressure to improve regional and local tertiary institutions, and funding model sustainability.

Skills development for better jobs

When done right, skills development can reduce un- and underemployment, increase productivity, and improve standards of living. Investing in upskilling or reskilling people for jobs of the future makes economic sense.

Tertiary education access

A highly skilled workforce, with lifelong access to a solid post-secondary education, is a prerequisite for innovation and growth: well-educated people are more employable and productive, earn higher wages, and cope with economic shocks better.

Improving quality and advancing capabilities

Quality assurance, performance-based funding schemes, and alignment of academic offerings with market needs ensures students are prepared for the jobs of the future.

Vietnam's University Development Project will improve teaching and research capacity at three universities. Through investments in modern infrastructure, cutting-edge equipment, and knowledge transfer, it will help accelerate the transformation of these universities into regionally competitive institutions with advanced teaching and research capabilities.

The Africa Centers of Excellence project supports the continent’s priority sectors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; agriculture; health; environment; applied social sciences; and education. Since 2014, the program has supported over 80 centers in more than 50 universities across 20 countries. Thousands of students have enrolled in postgraduate programs that meet international standards in delivering quality training and regional specializations to fulfill labor market demands in Africa.

Education & Skills

Education and skills training are the bridge between human potential and economic opportunity.

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