Over the next decade, a growing proportion of young adults are expected to attain tertiary education, with China and India leading the way – in particular in the fast-growing and highly relevant fields of STEM. Nonetheless, while women in OECD and G20 countries are expected to experience a greater increase in tertiary attainment than men, they may continue to lag behind in STEM, where they have been consistently under-represented. The challenge for the near future will be to ensure that educational systems are able to provide tertiary degrees that are both of high quality and relevance, in an equitable and inclusive manner.