Higher education

Tertiary education is sometimes known as higher education since it leads to the completion of an academic degree. After graduating from secondary school, students have the choice to continue their education by enrolling in higher education, also known as post-secondary education, third-level education, or tertiary education. Higher education is the ultimate step of formal education. According to the revision of the International Standard Classification of Education framework that was published in 2011, it represents levels 6, 7, and 8. As a distinction from higher education, tertiary education that does not lead to the awarding of a degree is frequently referred to as either further education or continuing education.

In a number of international human rights accords, individuals are recognised as having the right to attend higher levels of education. Article 13 of the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights of 1966 states that "higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education." This was established so that everyone could have a fair chance to receive an education regardless of their financial situation. Article 2 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights, which was ratified in 1950, requires all signatory parties to ensure the right to education. This obligation was established in Europe.

After graduating from secondary school, students have the choice to continue their education by enrolling in higher education, also known as post-secondary education, third-level education, or tertiary education. Higher education is the ultimate step of formal education. This category includes tertiary educational institutions such as universities, colleges, and polytechnics that provide official degrees to students who have completed their secondary or high school education.

The first edition of the International Standard Classification of Education's schema, which was published in 1997, originally included all forms of tertiary education together. They were known as level 5, while studies leading to a PhD degree were considered level 6. This 2011 version of the structure underwent further development and expansion in 2011. The three stages of higher education, undergraduate, master's, and doctorate, are now referred to as levels 6, 7, and 8. Non-degree level ISCED 2011 reclassified tertiary education as level 4, with level 5 reserved for some higher-level programmes. Tertiary education is often referred to as further education or continuing education.

The phrase "higher education" was often used to refer to secondary education back in the days when only a small percentage of students continued their education beyond elementary school or the basic level of education. This may lead to some misunderstanding. This is the origin of the word high school, which is used for a variety of institutions that educate students between the ages of 14 and 18 (in the United States) or 11 and 18 (in other countries) (UK and Australia).