University of Glasgow ISSE

The annual report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Education at a Glance, points to a developing crisis in the higher education sector in Britain.

The report is a survey detailing key indices of higher educational attainment in 30 member and six partner countries. Included in the survey are the United States, the UK, France, Japan, Germany, Australia and Turkey. It showed that despite the number of schools leavers who gained a university degree increasing slightly from 37 percent in 2000 to 38.7 percent in 2007, the UK was placed just 14th out of the 26 most developed nations. In 2000 the UK was placed joint third.

The graduation rate shows that the UK is just below the international average. In that period 11 countries have risen above Britain in the table. These include Iceland, Poland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Portugal.

During the period from 2000 to 2007, the graduation rate in Poland increased from 34 percent to 49 percent, while Iceland’s rate rose from 33 percent to 63 percent. Also now standing above the UK in the table is the Slovak Republic. Its proportion of graduates attaining a degree increased from 23 percent in 2002 to 39 percent in 2007.