OECD Education at a Glance 2007

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently released its Education at a Glance 2007 report which measures the quality, quantity, equity, and efficiency of education systems in OECD countries. This year's assessment highlights the fact that, as one might guess, the more university graduates a country has, the more prosperous its economy will be; however, the report is quick to point out that, contrary to what some have predicted, there is no crowding-out effect. An increase in graduates does not equate to higher rates of unemployment at the lower end of the scale. According to the OECD, "even with a continued [increase in the number of university graduates], the earnings advantage of those with university degrees has not deteriorated." Also, the report states that, "job prospects for the less well qualified do not appear to be damaged by the expansion of higher education and may even be improved." Among other things, the report also looks at the challenges of integrating immigrants into school systems and the increase in the number of students studying abroad.