The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) welcomed the notable expansion in the higher education sector in Arab countries, noting that the number of enrolled students has risen to approximately 15 million, nearly three times their number 25 years ago. This was stated in a report carried by the UN News Centre on Wednesday, which showed a significant improvement in higher education enrollment rates in the region.
For its part, the report indicated that women's enrollment and graduation rates in higher education have surpassed men's since 2007, with women accounting for nearly half of total graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, compared to only about one-third globally. In the same context, UNESCO confirmed that Arab countries are attracting a larger number of students, hosting nearly 600,000 students out of 7.3 million international students worldwide.
The organization added that Arab students are increasingly inclined to remain within the region, with the United Arab Emirates and Egypt emerging as key regional education hubs. UNESCO reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to supporting Arab countries in building inclusive, high-quality, and future-ready higher education systems, a step aimed at strengthening the educational infrastructure in the region.
The organization pointed out that despite the notable improvement, enrollment rates remain below the global average, with significant disparities between countries. It warned that youth unemployment in the region stands at 26%, nearly double the global average. In this regard, the organization highlighted that access to education remains uneven, and graduates continue to face difficulties in finding employment.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
Comments (0)