Tertiary education

Tertiary education, also called higher education or post-secondary education, is the stage of learning that comes after finishing secondary school. It includes places like universities, colleges, and vocational schools. This type of education helps people gain special skills and knowledge in specific areas.

Students in tertiary education usually earn certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees. It is very important because it prepares people for jobs and helps them learn new skills that are needed in today’s world. As technology changes the way we work, having this education becomes even more important for finding good jobs and succeeding in careers.

Definition

Higher education, also called post-secondary or tertiary education, is a stage of learning that comes after finishing secondary school. It includes places like universities, colleges, and polytechnics where students can earn degrees.

In the past, not many students went beyond primary school, so "higher education" sometimes meant secondary education. This is why some schools for teens are called high school.

History

The oldest known places for learning were in ancient Egypt, called "houses of life." These were like libraries where people studied subjects such as law, math, and medicine.

In ancient Greece, schools like Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum became models for later schools. In China, during the Han dynasty, special schools taught important classics to prepare students for government jobs.

In the 7th century, cathedral schools began in Western Europe, and the first Madrasahs were founded in the Muslim world. The University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco is recognized as the oldest continuously operating higher education institution. The University of Bologna in Italy, founded in 1088, is the oldest university in the modern sense.

Since World War II, many countries have seen more people attending higher education. This has been important for their economies, as educated workers often earn more and face lower unemployment. However, some worry that too many graduates in certain fields may struggle to find suitable jobs.

Enrollment

The number of students joining schools after high school has grown a lot around the world. In the year 2000, about 19 out of every 100 people went to these schools. By 2017, that number went up to 38 out of 100. More girls than boys are joining these schools.

In countries with less money, only about 9 out of 100 people go to school after high school. But in richer countries, about 77 out of 100 people do. We hope to see even more students join these schools in the future, especially in countries that are growing fast.

Every country has a goal to make sure everyone can keep learning, no matter their age. This includes going to school after high school. Many important rules around the world say that everyone should have the chance to go to these schools.

Grade and educational inflation

Some schools that offer education after high school have been criticized for letting students earn higher grades than they should. Some experts also believe that too many students are graduating in certain subjects, which can lead to jobs not being available for them after they finish their studies. This can cause young people to not have the jobs they expected or to have jobs that don’t use all their training.

Effects

See also: Academic bias

People who finish their studies at a college or university often have different ideas and values than those who do not. They usually support diversity and have more positive feelings toward different groups of people. When it comes to the world, these graduates tend to support open policies, like free trade, open borders, and easier rules for international migration.

Finishing school can help a country grow its economy and can lead to better jobs and less poverty for individuals. Studies show that people who go to college might also be less likely to accept extreme ideas. Overall, investing in education helps both people and the government.

Providers

In the U.S., higher education is offered by universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, conservatories, and institutes of technology. There are also special schools like vocational schools, universities of applied sciences, trade schools, and career-based colleges that award degrees. Education that does not lead to a degree is sometimes called further education or continuing education.

Higher education includes teaching and research. It covers both undergraduate studies and more advanced graduate-level or postgraduate studies, often called graduate school in North America. Besides learning specific skills for a job, students also develop important abilities such as critical thinking, working well in teams, understanding information, making good choices, solving problems, and communicating clearly.

Statistics

The amount of money countries spend on education after high school, as a part of their total money, is shown in a table.

Another table shows how many adults in each country have completed education after high school.

A report from 2014 says that by that year, 84 percent of young people in wealthy countries finished high school. People with education after high school earned twice as much as others. For the first time, more young women finished high school than young men. More people were going to university than ever before. By 2014, nearly 40 percent of people aged 25–34 (and about 25 percent of those aged 55–64) were studying at a university.

By region

Australia

In Australia, "tertiary education" means the studies a student takes after finishing secondary school. Options for tertiary education include universities, technical and further education (TAFE), and private universities.

Europe

Although tertiary education in the EU includes university, it can differ from country to country.

France

After going to nursery school (French: école maternelle), elementary school (French: école primaire), middle school (French: collège), and high school (French: lycée), a student may go to university, but may also stop at that point.

Italy

See also: Higher education in Italy and List of universities in Italy

Education in Italy is compulsory from 6 to 16 years of age, and is divided into five stages: kindergarten (scuola dell'infanzia), primary school (scuola primaria or scuola elementare), lower secondary school (scuola secondaria di primo grado or scuola media inferiore), upper secondary school (scuola secondaria di secondo grado or scuola media superiore) and university (università). Education is free in Italy and free education is available to children of all nationalities who are residents in Italy. Italy has both a private and public education system.

Italy has many public or state-affiliated universities and schools offering degrees in higher education. State-run universities of Italy make up most of tertiary education in Italy and are managed by the Italian Ministry of Education.

Italian universities are among the oldest in the world; the University of Bologna (founded in 1088) notably, is the oldest one ever; also, University of Naples Federico II is the world's oldest state-funded university still operating. Most universities in Italy are supported by the government. 33 Italian universities were ranked among the best in the world in 2019.

Kazakhstan

Main article: Higher education in Kazakhstan

Tertiary education in Kazakhstan follows laws set by the government. It includes universities and other higher-education institutions. The government oversees these schools to make sure they meet certain standards.

Portugal

Main article: Higher education in Portugal

Ukraine

Main article: Higher education in Ukraine

United Kingdom

Under devolution in the United Kingdom, education is handled separately in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. In England, "tertiary education" means the same as "higher education" (study after age 18). In Wales, the term "tertiary education" was adopted in 2018 to include education and training for people older than 16. Some special further education colleges in England and Wales call themselves "tertiary colleges" even though they are part of secondary education. These schools teach both students leaving secondary school and adults.

North America

Canada

Main article: Higher education in Canada

United States

Main article: Higher education in the United States

The higher education system in the United States is organized separately by each state. Schools can be run by private groups or by state and local governments. Some private schools are linked to religious groups, while others are not. The United States Department of Education gives an overview of tertiary education and links to state and federal agencies.

Africa

Nigeria

In Nigeria, tertiary education means education after secondary school, which can be found at universities (run by the government or private groups), monotechnics, polytechnics and colleges of education. After secondary school, students may go to a tertiary school or get vocational education. Students must take exams to be allowed to enter a tertiary institution.

Asia

Japan

Main article: Higher education in Japan

The Ministry of Education and UNESCO say tertiary education in Japan includes: university education (with different levels of study), two-year colleges (Tanki Daigaku), colleges of technology and specialized colleges.

Hong Kong

Main article: Higher education in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong "tertiary education" or "higher education" means any education after secondary school. This includes universities, post-secondary colleges, public universities, and government-funded schools.

Philippines

Main article: Higher education in the Philippines

Singapore

Main article: Education in Singapore

In Singapore, "tertiary education" or "Post-secondary Education" means any education after secondary school. This includes, Junior Colleges, Centralised institutes, Polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education and Universities.