Positive and negative impact of increased tertiary attainment

The theory of human capital clearly states that the investments into the education bring many benefits and are worth the cost. The OECD Education at a Glance analysis provides support for both public and private investing in tertiary education as the net present value is positive for all observed countries. Considering the benefits of education, a growth in tertiary education should be viewed very positively. In this context, the European Strategy Europe 2020 set up one of its main goals for EU27 countries as follows: To increase the educated population so that it reaches 40% (tertiary educated people aged 30-34). This article, on an example of Slovakia, provides an analysis of both positive and negative impact of increased tertiary attainment.