Canada’s Post-Secondary Education Performance: An International Comparison

This updated look at the state of skills and post-secondary education (PSE) compares Canada’s performance with 15  member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that are comparable to Canada in economic and social status. The report measures education performance metrics across inputs, outputs, and outcomes. Input indicators speak to resourcing and participation in the PSE system; outputs are education-specific metrics, such as educational attainment, that are directly ascribed to the PSE system; and outcomes are broader socio-economic indicators like employment. As a common nomenclature to describe and compare systems, we use UNESCO’s International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) definition of post-secondary education levels 5 to 8. Most of the data come from the OECD. The report concludes with six recommendations for Canada’s PSE system that would help make the system more competitive, efficient, and effective.

This report was prepared with financial support from Signal49 Research’s Centre for Skills and Post-Secondary Education.