Libya Tertiary Enrollment
School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) SE.TER.ENRR
Libya's tertiary enrollment was 58.54% in 2003, ranked 22nd globally. This represents a 4.1% increase from 2002. Data from World Bank, covering 1971–2003.
Overview
Libya's tertiary enrollment stood at 58.54% in 2003, a rise of +2.30pp from 2002. Libya ranked 22nd globally.
Libya’s tertiary enrollment rose dramatically from a mere 3.20 % in 1971 to 58.54 % in 2003, marking both the lowest and highest points in the series that spans 21 years. This surge placed the country at rank 22 globally in 2003, just shy of peers such as Belgium (59.61 %) and the European Union (57.96 %). The acceleration reflects expansive public investment in higher education and demographic growth during the post‑oil boom, yet the rapid expansion also strained institutional capacity and quality assurance mechanisms. Compared with Italy’s 60.01 % enrollment, Libya’s figure suggests convergence toward the levels of more mature European systems, although the underlying labor‑market alignment remains weaker. Continued reforms in curriculum relevance, research funding, and university‑industry linkages will be crucial to sustain the upward trajectory and translate high participation rates into measurable productivity gains.
Data & projection
| Year | Tertiary Enrollment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 58.54% | +2.30pp | #22 |
| 2002 | 56.24% | +5.18pp | #22 |
| 2001 | 51.06% | +4.52pp | #22 |
| 2000 | 46.54% | −3.82pp | #27 |
| 1999 | 50.36% | +35.46pp | #3 |
| 1992 | 14.90% | +3.69pp | #17 |
| 1990 | 11.22% | +2.35pp | #19 |
| 1985 | 8.86% | +1.26pp | #20 |
| 1983 | 7.60% | +1.23pp | #20 |
| 1982 | 6.37% | +0.75pp | #24 |
| 1981 | 5.62% | +0.96pp | #27 |
| 1980 | 4.66% | −0.25pp | #22 |
| 1979 | 4.91% | −0.33pp | #17 |
| 1978 | 5.24% | +0.13pp | #16 |
| 1977 | 5.11% | −0.42pp | #17 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Libya matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2017. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw tertiary enrollment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Libya's tertiary enrollment was 58.54% in 2003. Ranked 22nd globally. This represents a 4.1% increase from the previous year.
Libya's tertiary enrollment peaked at 58.54% in 2003.
The lowest tertiary enrollment in Libya was 3.20% in 1971.
Libya ranks 22nd globally in tertiary enrollment as of 2003.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.TER.ENRR. Data sourced from World Bank.
The tertiary enrollment of Libya in 2003 was 58.54%. This ranks 22nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_libya_tertiary-enrollment,
title = {Libya Tertiary Enrollment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/libya/tertiary-enrollment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}