Culture statistics - culture-related education

Data extracted in June 2023.

Planned article update: 28 June 2024.

Highlights

In 2021, 14.1 % of tertiary students in the EU were studying in culture-related fields.

Between 2016 and 2021, among all students pursuing culture-related fields of education, the number of students in arts increased the most.

Women accounted for close to two-thirds of all tertiary students in culture-related fields.

Tertiary students in culture-related fields of education, 2021

EU and Sweden: Definition differs.
Slovenia: Architecture and town planning - confidential.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Architecture and town planning - not available.
Netherlands: Data are limited to the overall number of students in the 'Arts and Humanities' fields of education. Detailed data, broken down by Arts, Humanities and Languages, as well as data on number of students pursuing "Journalism and information" and 'Architecture and town planning" are not available.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: educ_uoe_enrt03)

This article forms part of the Culture statistics online publication. It describes two areas that link education with culture:

tertiary students who are studying culture-related fields
the role played by education in facilitating cultural exchanges, for example, by learning foreign languages.

Full article

Tertiary students in culture-related fields of education

Defining tertiary students in culture-related fields of education Universities and similar institutions provide tertiary education within the higher education sector. According to the international standard classification of education (ISCED), it is classified as ISCED levels 5 to 8.

The following fields are considered to be culture-related:

arts
humanities and languages
journalism and information
architecture and town planning.

Tertiary students – around 2.6 million studying in culture-related fields across the EU in 2021 In 2021 there were around 2.6 million students in the EU studying in culture-related fields. This equated to 14.1 % of all tertiary students in the EU (see Figure 1). The share of students in culture-related fields was above the EU average in seven EU Member States. The largest share was in Italy at 20.2 %, followed by Sweden, Estonia, Greece, France, Ireland and Germany. The least shares of tertiary students following culture-related fields were in Latvia (9.7 %), Luxembourg (9.6 %), Slovenia (9.2 %), Cyprus (8.8 %) and the Netherlands (6.5 %).

Figure 1: Tertiary students in culture-related fields of education, 2021
(%, share of all tertiary students)
Source: Eurostat (educ_uoe_enrt03)

Between 2016 and 2021 the number of people studying arts increased the most, among all those pursuing culture-related fields of education

Table 1 compares the number of students in 2021 with those in 2016 at national level. It shows that in this timeframe, of the 24 EU Member States with available data, seven saw an increase in the number of students pursuing culture-related fields (data for Czechia, Italy and the Netherlands cannot be compared). An increase in the total number of tertiary students was witnessed in 17 EU Member States.

The highest increases in the number of students in culture-related fields were recorded in Sweden (22 %) and Greece (19 %). These were the only countries where the number of students increased in all fields of study related to culture. Luxembourg (23 %), Denmark (21 %) and Poland (20 %) recorded the most decreases. In Denmark, Lithuania, Poland and Finland the number of students decreased in all culture-related fields of education.

The highest increase in the number of students was observed in arts. This growth concerned 14 out of 24 EU countries. Greece and Sweden saw the most significant growth in arts students, with 32 % and 27 %, respectively. 'Journalism and information' saw an increase in 10 EU countries, 'architecture and town planning' in 8 countries and 'humanities and languages' in seven countries. The most significant decreases among all culture-related fields of education was seen in 'architecture and town planning' in Lithuania and 'arts' in Croatia, dropping by 64 % and 47 % between 2016 and 2021, respectively.

Table 1: Number of students in culture-related fields of eduation, 2016 and 2021
(thousand, % of change)
Source: Eurostat (educ_uoe_lang01)

In most EU Member States, the highest number of students in culture-related tertiary education were enrolled in humanities and languages Figure 2 provides a breakdown of culture-related fields that tertiary students followed in 2021. 'Humanities and languages' was the most common field of study in the EU (more than 1.2 million tertiary students), which was equivalent to almost half (49.6 %) of all tertiary students in culture-related disciplines. Otherwise, 27.3 % of the EU students in culture-related fields in 2021 were enrolled in arts, while 10.1 % were studying journalism and information studies, 8.8 % were studying architecture and town planning and 4.2 % were studying in other fields related to arts and humanities (the latter include arts and humanities not further defined, together with interdisciplinary programmes and qualifications involving arts and humanities).

Humanities and languages generally account for the greatest share of tertiary students in culture-related fields. In 2021, this pattern was observed in 19 of the 25 EU Member States (data not available for Czechia and detailed data not available for the Netherlands), with the greatest share recorded in Luxembourg (80.3 %), followed by Romania (60.5 %) and Germany (56.5 %). In the remaining seven Member States (where humanities and languages were not the most common subjects), arts had the greatest share of tertiary students in culture-related fields. Ireland was the only EU Member State where 'arts' was chosen by more than half (59.4 %) of all students in culture-related fields.

The largest shares of tertiary students in journalism and information studies were reported in Slovakia (27.0 %) and Croatia (16.7 %), while the greatest share for town planning and architecture were reported in Austria (17.7 %) and Belgium (16.3 %).

Figure 2: Distribution of tertiary students in culture-related fields of education, 2021
(%, share of all tertiary students in culture-related fields of education)
Source: Eurostat (educ_uoe_enrt03)

Women accounted for most tertiary students in each of the culture-related fields of study In 2021, there were more female than male tertiary education students in the EU studying culture-related fields, with women accounting for 64.2 % of the total (see Figure 3). The share of women was slightly greater among those studying journalism and information studies (67.9 %) and humanities and languages (66.9 %), while the gap between the sexes was much less pronounced for those studying architecture and town planning – where women accounted for 55.0 % of all students.

Figure 3: Tertiary students in culture-related fields of education, by sex, EU, 2021
(%)
Source: Eurostat (educ_uoe_enrt03)

Foreign languages

In 2021, secondary school pupils in Luxembourg were taught at least two foreign languages on average

In 2021, the average number of foreign languages learnt by pupils in lower secondary education (ISCED level 2) was higher than two in Luxembourg (2.6), Netherlands and Finland (2.2) and Malta (2.1). Ireland (0.9) recorded the lowest average number of foreign languages at ISCED level 2.

The average number of foreign languages studied by pupils in upper secondary general education (ISCED level 3) peaked at 3.2 in Luxembourg. It was higher than 2.0 in Finland, Estonia and Belgium. By contrast, Portuguese pupils in upper secondary general education were studying just 0.8 foreign languages on average.

Generally, there was less focus on teaching foreign languages in vocational compared with upper secondary general education. This pattern was repeated in 23 of the 26 EU Member States for which a comparison was available (the comparison was impossible for Ireland). Romania was the only Member State where pupils in upper secondary vocational education studied, on average, as many foreign languages as those in upper secondary general education (2.0), while Italy and Portugal were the only ones where the average was higher for pupils in upper secondary vocational education. The average number of foreign languages studied by pupils enrolled in upper secondary vocational education in the Netherlands, Portugal, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Germany, Spain and Denmark was less than 1.0 (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Average number of foreign languages studied per pupil in secondary education, 2021
(number)
Source: Eurostat (educ_uoe_lang03)

English is the most common foreign language taught to upper secondary pupils in the EU

Table 2 shows that English was by far the most taught foreign language in upper secondary general education in the EU. The next most taught foreign languages were Spanish, French and German.

In 2021, in most EU Member States more than 90 % of pupils in upper secondary general education were learning English as a foreign language. The exceptions – where this share was less than 90 % – were Denmark (76 %) and Portugal (65 %). In Luxembourg, which has three official languages – Luxembourgish, French and German, all pupils learnt English, French, and German. In upper secondary general education in the Flemish Community of Belgium, all pupils learnt English and French (French is considered a foreign language in the Flemish Community).

In addition to English, looking at the next most frequently studied foreign language in upper secondary general education in each of the EU Member States, German appears 10 times, French 8 times and Spanish 6 times. Close geographic and historical ties also influence which foreign languages pupils learn. In 2021, the second most frequently taught foreign language in the Baltic Member States was Russian; in the French Community of Belgium it was Dutch (considered a foreign language in the French Community); in Malta it was Italian, and in Finland Swedish.

Table 2: Four most-learnt foreign languages in upper secondary general education, 2021
(%, share of pupils learning each language)
Source: Eurostat (educ_uoe_lang01)

Source data for tables and graphs

Culture-related education: tables and figures

Data sources

The education statistics presented in this article draw principally on a joint exercise run by UNESCO, the OECD and Eurostat known as the UOE data collection. It provides annual statistics on the participation in and the completion of education programmes by pupils and students, as well as data on education staff and education spending.

Tertiary students in culture-related fields of education

The international standard classification of education (ISCED) is the reference classification for organising educational programmes and related qualifications by levels and fields. ISCED 2011 took into account a range of changes to education systems (for example, those relating to the Bologna process in tertiary education, or the expansion of education programmes for very young children).

Levels of education are classified by ISCED 2011 as follows:

ISCED 0: early childhood education;
ISCED 1: primary education;
ISCED 2: lower secondary education;
ISCED 3: upper secondary education;
ISCED 4: post-secondary non-tertiary education;
ISCED 5: short-cycle tertiary education;
ISCED 6: bachelor's or equivalent level;
ISCED 7: master's or equivalent level;
ISCED 8: doctoral or equivalent level.

ISCED also classifies fields of education and training (ISCED-F 2013). Within this classification, four main fields have been identified as being related to culture:

arts (fine arts, music and performing arts, audio-visual techniques and media production, design, craft skills);
humanities (religion, foreign languages, history and archaeology, philosophy and ethics);
journalism and information (journalism and reporting, library, information, archiving);
architecture and town planning.

Foreign languages

Within the UOE data collection, Eurostat gathers information on foreign language teaching in primary and secondary educational programmes. The educational curriculum drawn up in each country defines the languages considered as foreign languages. Regional languages are included if they are considered as alternatives to foreign languages. Non-nationals studying their native language in special classes or those studying the language(s) of the host country are excluded. Foreign languages learnt in formal education include all modern languages taught as foreign languages; ancient Greek, Latin, Esperanto and sign languages are excluded. Only foreign languages studied as compulsory subjects or as compulsory curriculum options are included.

Context

Culture is one of Europe greatest assets: it is a source of values and identity and creates a sense of belonging. It also contributes to well-being, social cohesion and inclusion. The cultural and creative sectors can trigger economic growth, job creation and international trade.

Article 167 of the Treaty of Lisbon states that the EU must contribute to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time bringing the common heritage to the fore. This is why culture is gaining importance in the EU.

The EU supports these objectives through the Creative Europe programme and several policy actions included in the Work Plan for Culture (2023-2026). The plan, adopted by the Council of Culture Ministers of the EU, sets out the current main priorities for European cooperation in cultural policymaking: empowering the cultural and creative sectors, enhancing cultural participation and the role of culture in society, unleashing the power of culture and strengthening the cultural dimension of the EU external relations. According to the document, the implementation of the Work Plan for Culture (2023-2026) should also be supported by optimised use of quality data and statistics.