A fast-forward look at tertiary education attainment in Europe 2020

This paper provides an answer to the question of whether Europe will be able to reach its tertiary education target by 2020. Insights into the dynamics of future education attainment and areas for effective policy interventions in the long-run are highlighted. We model the dynamics behind education decisions as a balance between investment and consumption motivations. We use a panel approach and a wide range of statistical tests to insure that model specifications are stable and robust. We find that while Europe is likely to achieve its target, there is a growing divide between best performing countries and low performers.