Analytics, Education and Science, EU – Baltic States, Lithuania, Society

BC's photo.

The share of persons aged 30 to 34 in the EU who have completed tertiary education has constantly increased, from 23.6% in 2002 when the series started to 37.9% in 2014. This pattern was even more significant for women (from 24.5% in 2002 to 42.3% in 2014) than men (from 22.6% to 33.6%). The Europe 2020 strategy's target is that at least 40% of 30-34-year-olds in the EU should have completed tertiary education by 2020.

In addition, the share of early school leavers has steadily decreased in the EU, from 17.0% in 2002 to 11.1% in 2014. Women are less affected by early leaving from education and training than men. The Europe 2020 target is to reduce the rates of early school leaving in the EU to below 10% by 2020.

In 2014, the proportion of those aged 30 to 34 who had completed tertiary education increased compared with 2002 in every member-state for which the time-series is available.

In 2014, more than half of the population aged 30 to 34 had completed tertiary education in Lithuania (53.3%), Luxembourg (52.7%), Cyprus (52.5%) and Ireland (52.2%). At the opposite end of the scale, the lowest proportions were observed in Italy (23.9%), Romania (25.0%), Malta (26.6%), Slovakia (26.9%) and the Czech Republic (28.2%). Twelve member-states have already met or exceeded their 2020 national targets for this indicator: Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden.

The share of persons aged 30 to 34 who have completed tertiary education is higher in 2014 for women than men in all member-states, except Germany.

Compared with 2006, the proportion of early leavers from education and training decreased in 2014 in all member-states for which the time-series is available, except the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Slovakia where it slightly increased or remained stable. In contrast, the proportion halved in Portugal (from 38.5% in 2006 to 17.4% in 2014).

In 2014, the lowest proportions of early school leavers were observed in Croatia (2.7%), Slovenia (4.4%), Poland (5.4%), the Czech Republic (5.5%) and Lithuania (5.9%), while shares of at least 15% were recorded in Spain (21.9%), Malta (20.4%), Romania (18.1%), Portugal (17.4%) and Italy (15.0%). Fifteen member-states have already fulfilled their 2020 national targets for this indicator: the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Austria, Slovenia and Sweden.

In 2014, the share of early leavers from education and training was lower for women than men in all member-states, except Bulgaria.