Independent research by the agencies paints a picture of growing inequalities that begin in childhood and continue into higher education, despite decades of global progress in school and university enrolment.
An odd report card
Examining the relationship between economic inequality and child well-being in 44 OECD and high-income countries, the UNICEF report found that rates of income inequality and child poverty remain stubbornly high in most countries.
Children growing up in wealthier but more unequal countries face poorer physical health and poorer educational outcomes, the report warns. Across the countries surveyed, households in the top 20 percent of wage earners take home more than five times the income of those in the bottom 20 percent.
“Inequality greatly affects how children learn, what they eat and how they feel about life,” said Bo Viktor Nylund, director of the UNICEF Innocenti center.
The report also linked greater inequality to poorer health outcomes. Children in the most unequal countries are 1.7 times more likely to be overweight than children living in more equal societies – a trend associated with poorer diets and missed meals.
Poor educational opportunities
The level of education also suffers. Children in the most unequal countries have a 65 percent chance of leaving school without basic skills in reading and maths, compared to 40 percent in the most equal countries.
Within the countries, the differences between rich and poor students are equal. On average, 83 percent of 15-year-olds from the richest households achieve basic skills in maths and reading, compared to just 42 percent among children from the poorest households.
UNICEF called on governments to strengthen social protection systems, invest in disadvantaged communities, improve school resources and provide nutritious school meals.
Expansion without equal opportunities
A separate UNESCO report examined global trends in higher education.
The study found that the number of students in higher education has more than doubled over the past two decades, rising from around 100 million in 2000 to 269 million in 2024.
Yet this expansion has not translated into equal access, the agency warned.
While around 80 per cent of young people in Western Europe and North America are engaged in higher education, participation falls sharply elsewhere – to 30 per cent in South and West Asia and only 9 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.
Implementation of rates lags
Completion rates have not been able to keep pace with enrollment growth. The global graduation rate only increased from 22 percent in 2013 to 27 percent in 2024.
“This new report shows a growing demand for higher education, which plays an irreplaceable role in building sustainable societies. Yet this expansion does not always translate into equal opportunities, underscoring the need for innovative funding models to deliver quality, inclusive higher education,” said Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO.
Changing registration
Women now outnumber men in higher education globally, with 114 women enrolled for every 100 men, although they remain underrepresented at PhD level and in senior academic leadership.
The report, which includes new data from 146 countries, also highlighted growing inequalities linked to costs and geography. Only a third of countries legally guarantee tuition-free public higher education, while many institutions are under growing financial pressure.
Public spending on higher education averages just 0.8 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP).
Increased international mobility
The number of students studying abroad has more than tripled over the past two decades, from 2.1 million in 2000 to nearly 7.3 million in 2023.
Yet international mobility benefits only 3 percent of the global student population, with large regional differences, the report notes.
Seven countries – the US, UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, Russia and France – continue to host half of all international students.
Economic inequality in rich countries is associated with poorer physical health and poorer academic performance among children.
There is a need for stronger cooperation
UNESCO said stronger international cooperation and innovative funding will be needed to make higher education more inclusive and sustainable as student numbers continue to grow.
The report also warned that rapidly increasing enrollments are putting pressure on universities, underscoring the need to maintain teaching quality and widen access for disadvantaged groups.
Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are also reshaping teaching and learning, yet only one in five universities had a formal AI policy by 2025.
A lifelong gap of inequality
Taken together, the two reports suggest that inequality creates disadvantages that accumulate over time—beginning in childhood and extending into adulthood.
Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to struggle in school, experience poorer health, and face barriers to entering and completing higher education.
Both agencies warned that without stronger investment in education, health and social protection, economic gaps risk becoming entrenched across generations.
