Identification and Analysis of a TertiaryEducation Expectations Gap in Developed Countries

Participation in tertiary education in developed countries has dramatically expanded over the past few decades. The perceptions of academic researchers, policy makers, employers and the general public have contributed to expectations of significant socio-economic and political gains from that expansion. This study, using a descriptive analysis and looking at the trends in historical perspective, found significant indications of a rising gap between the expectations and the perceived performance of higher education in developed countries. It is suggested that the recent expansion in tertiary-education may need refocusing to avoid growing gap between expectations and perceived-performance in tertiary education