Over the last 10 years, enrollment in higher education in Ibero-America has experienced significant growth of 30%, reaching a total of 34.1 million students in 2022. Despite this increase, only 23% of students choose STEM careers (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), reflecting a persistent lag in areas fundamental to innovation and development.
The most recent report from the Observatory Papers, prepared by the Ibero-American Observatory of Science, Technology, and Society (OCTS-OEI), reveals that although engineering represents the largest percentage within the STEM field at 14%, careers in natural sciences, mathematics (4%), and ICT (5%) remain minority fields. Furthermore, the gender gap is still evident, as women only represent 30% of students in these disciplines, with no significant progress in the last decade.
The report also highlights the growth of the private sector in higher education, which currently accounts for 52% of enrollment in the region. Despite an increase in investment in higher education in 2021, this figure fell to 1.18% of the regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science, and Culture (OEI), under the motto 'We Make Cooperation Happen', is the first intergovernmental South-South cooperation body in Ibero-America, founded in 1949. The OEI has 23 member states, 19 national offices, and its General Secretariat in Madrid. In 2024, it was awarded the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation for its work in promoting multilateralism and for being an important bridge in relations between Europe and Ibero-America.
