The returns to tertiary education (TE) have been underestimated. TE appears to contribute substantially to both human and economic development in LLMICs. This evidence brief summarises the findings from a rigorous review conducted by Oketch, McCowan and Schendel (2013), entitled “The impact of tertiary education on development”.

The review was produced by the Institute of Education (University of London) and funded by the Department for International Development’s (DfID) Research and Evidence Division. The review aims to assess the evidence linking TE to a wide range of economic and human development outcomes in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs).

A video in which the authors discuss the key findings is available under the HEART Talks section of our website.

The review that this evidence brief is based on is part of a series of DFID education rigorous literature reviews. Other reviews in this series include:

• The role and impact of private schools in developing countries
• Literacy, Foundation Learning and Assessment in Developing Countries
• Pedagogy, Curriculum, Teaching Practices and Teacher Education in Developing Countries
• The Political Economy of Education Systems in Developing Countries
• Girls’ education and gender equality