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Asian Universities on the Rise: a Comparison With U.S. Institutions

October 5, 2009

Some countries in East Asia are rapidly expanding their higher-education sectors, while universities are struggling in many places in the United States. Even so, the United States still has a big lead.

China Hong Kong Singapore South Korea Taiwan United States
Percent of young adults enrolled in postsecondary institutions1
Late 1980s2 3% n/a 24% n/a 15% 30%
Late 1990s2 10% 30% 43% n/a 31% 37%
2007-8 23% 69% 60% n/a 61% 39%
Higher-education enrollment (in thousands)3
Late 1980s2 n/a 36 48 1,331 208 13,818
1997-98 5,910 72 105 2,268 422 15,312
2007-8 18,850 133 156 2,913 1,192 18,248
Number of higher-education institutions
Late 1980s4 1,063 6 5 231 114 n/a
Late 1990s4 1,020 10 7 297 166 3,842
2007 1,908 12 9 334 252 4,391
Number of highly ranked research institutions5
2008 6 3 1 3 1 111
Government spending on higher education (in millions of U.S. dollars)6
1997-98 n/a n/a $661 n/a $4,378 n/a
2007-8 n/a $2,167 $1,998 n/a $7,501 $129,284
Gross domestic product (in billions)6, 7
1997-98 $4,250 $175 $85 $631 $308 $8,083
2007-8 $7,937 $307 $237 $1,335 $712 $14,260
Note: n/a means data were not available.
1 The countries define “young adults” differently, but in general they use a three- to four-year range between the ages of 17 and 23.
2 The Asian countries shown reported some of these data for different years during the late 1980s and late 1990s.
3 The Chronicle asked each Asian country shown to provide enrollment figures for students pursuing degrees equivalent to an American associate degree or higher.
4 South Korea reported figures for 1986 and 1996; other countries’ data are for 1987 and 1997.
5 Ranked in the top 300 in the world, according to the “Academic Ranking of World Universities,” which Shanghai Jiao Tong University began publishing in 2003
6 Figures are not adjusted for inflation.
7 Based on purchasing-power parity
Sources: Chronicle reporting (enrollments, number of institutions, government spending on higher education); CIA World Factbook (GDP)

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Some countries in East Asia are rapidly expanding their higher-education sectors, while universities are struggling in many places in the United States. Even so, the United States still has a big lead.

China Hong Kong Singapore South Korea Taiwan United States
Percent of young adults enrolled in postsecondary institutions1
Late 1980s2 3% n/a 24% n/a 15% 30%
Late 1990s2 10% 30% 43% n/a 31% 37%
2007-8 23% 69% 60% n/a 61% 39%
Higher-education enrollment (in thousands)3
Late 1980s2 n/a 36 48 1,331 208 13,818
1997-98 5,910 72 105 2,268 422 15,312
2007-8 18,850 133 156 2,913 1,192 18,248
Number of higher-education institutions
Late 1980s4 1,063 6 5 231 114 n/a
Late 1990s4 1,020 10 7 297 166 3,842
2007 1,908 12 9 334 252 4,391
Number of highly ranked research institutions5
2008 6 3 1 3 1 111
Government spending on higher education (in millions of U.S. dollars)6
1997-98 n/a n/a $661 n/a $4,378 n/a
2007-8 n/a $2,167 $1,998 n/a $7,501 $129,284
Gross domestic product (in billions)6, 7
1997-98 $4,250 $175 $85 $631 $308 $8,083
2007-8 $7,937 $307 $237 $1,335 $712 $14,260
Note: n/a means data were not available.
1 The countries define “young adults” differently, but in general they use a three- to four-year range between the ages of 17 and 23.
2 The Asian countries shown reported some of these data for different years during the late 1980s and late 1990s.
3 The Chronicle asked each Asian country shown to provide enrollment figures for students pursuing degrees equivalent to an American associate degree or higher.
4 South Korea reported figures for 1986 and 1996; other countries’ data are for 1987 and 1997.
5 Ranked in the top 300 in the world, according to the “Academic Ranking of World Universities,” which Shanghai Jiao Tong University began publishing in 2003
6 Figures are not adjusted for inflation.
7 Based on purchasing-power parity
Sources: Chronicle reporting (enrollments, number of institutions, government spending on higher education); CIA World Factbook (GDP)
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