United Arab Emirates: Tertiary education, academic staff (% female)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 8.01 percentage points from 35.73% in 2019. Since 1978 it is up 33.03 percentage points from 10.71% in 1978. The World Bank has no value for 28 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, United Arab Emirates' tertiary education, academic staff (% female) rose 5.42 percentage points on 2023 (from 38.32% to 43.74%).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2023), the average change was −0.02 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.78 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 5.42 percentage points in 2024 and the biggest yearly fall was 8.08 percentage points in 1979. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, United Arab Emirates had the 37th highest value of the 61 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to United Arab Emirates in the 2024 ranking

• Denmark — 34th of 61: 46.93%
• Bahrain — 35th of 61: 46.89%
• Austria — 36th of 61: 45.74%
• Hungary — 38th of 61: 43.29%
• Germany — 39th of 61: 41.97%
• Samoa — 40th of 61: 40.59%

What this measures

Tertiary education, academic staff (% female) is the share of female academic staff in tertiary education.

Limitations: The indicator measures the level of gender representation in the teaching profession, rather than the effectiveness and quality of teaching.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 19 values

Tertiary education, academic staff (% female) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 13.68% (2020)
• Algeria — 47.31% (2024)
• Bahrain — 46.89% (2024)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 50.84% (2025)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 34% (2020)
• Jordan — 33.44% (2024)
• Malta — 39.03% (2024)
• Morocco — 36.36% (2024)
• Oman — 38.92% (2024)
• Pakistan — 36.47% (2024)

More education data for United Arab Emirates

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 4 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 10 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 8 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils (% female) — 49.03% (2017)
• Pupil-teacher ratio, primary — 24.52 (2016)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 94.21% (2020)
• Primary education, pupils — 586,477 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 108.04% (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is United Arab Emirates's tertiary education, academic staff (% female)?

43.74% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1978?

It is up 33.03 percentage points from 10.71% in 1978. The highest value was 43.74% in 2024 and the lowest 2.63% in 1979.

How does United Arab Emirates rank?

37th highest of 61 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in tertiary education, academic staff (% female) unusual for United Arab Emirates?

In 2024, United Arab Emirates' tertiary education, academic staff (% female) rose 5.42 percentage points on 2023 (from 38.32% to 43.74%). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2023), the average change was −0.02 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.78 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.TER.TCHR.FE.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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