This 1998 edition of Education at a Glance - OECD Indicators provides a richer, more comparable and up-to-date array of indicators than ever before. The indicators represent the consensus of professional thinking on how to measure the current state of education internationally. They provide information on the human and financial resources invested in education, on how education and learning systems operate and evolve, and on the returns to educational investments. The thematic organisation of the volume and the background information accompanying the tables and charts make this publication a valuable resource for anyone interested in analysing education systems across countries.

In addition to reporting on continuing expansion of enrolment, particularly in higher education, the 1998 indicators trace the rapidly growing contribution of households and enterprises to educational resources. There is also a pressure to make tertiary studies more effective and to limit the time spent acquiring qualifications. This edition brings together evidence on passage through higher education, comparing the extent to which those who enrol eventually acquire degrees. It also takes a further step towards reporting internationally comparable data on lifelong learning and its impact on society and the economy.

A significantly larger number of OECD countries are now providing data. This year, through the "World Education Indicators" programme, a wide range of non-member countries have contributed to this edition, extending the coverage of some of the indicators to almost two-thirds of the world population.