17 Countries With The Best Education In Europe

Aliza Zia
9 min read

In This Article:

In this article we will discuss 17 countries with the best education in Europe. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Countries With The Best Education In Europe.

According to research by Morgan Stanley, the global education market is poised to grow from $6 trillion in 2022 to $8 trillion by 2030. The global spending on education is also expected to drop from 5.9% of the global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022 to 5.3% of the global GDP in 2030. The kindergarten to twelfth grade is the largest and fastest-growing segment in global education. This segment is estimated to grow 4% annually starting from 2022 and will reach a staggering $4.3 trillion by 2030. The segment will claim 54% of the global spending on education by 2030 as well. You can also check out: 20 Countries with the Best Education.

Enrollment Decline: Higher Education's Battle with Soaring Inflation

The global education system is experiencing many challenges. One of the arduous challenges is the decreasing student enrollment in higher education institutions because of rising inflation. According to an article by McKinsey & Company, since 2010, student enrollment has dropped by 8% in private and 10% in public four-year institutions. A further 8% drop is expected between 2026 and 2030. The escalating inflation rates have hiked the operating costs and sticker prices for institutions, adding to the difficulty of already torn students.

The lofty cost of getting a higher education poses a barrier to entry for prospective students. This impact was evident in the dropping enrollment rates even before the pandemic hit. The drop was especially noticeable in the institutions with a small student body. Institutions with less than 3000 students were facing an average decline of 4.7% per year.

Higher education institutions are well aware of the problem and are working to overcome this challenge. The goal is to provide quality education without passing the cost threshold. This problem has led many institutions to come together through partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions. According to McKinsey, the number of mergers and acquisitions in higher education has nearly tripled from only eleven in 2001 to 2005 to thirty-one in 2016 to 2020.

M&A could have a profound impact on the finances of both the students and the institutions. According to an article by Inside Higher Ed, Delaware State University acquired Wesley College in July 2021, causing tuition fees to drop by 74% for Delaware residents and 37% for non-Delaware residents. Before the acquisition, Wesley struggled financially and was on the Department of Education's heightened cash monitoring list in 2019. M&A helps both the institution being acquired and the institute acquiring. In the case of Wesley, the financial and enrollment issues eased out while it enabled Delaware State University to attain diversity in the student body and add new programs to its catalog organically.

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