In 2022, Cyprus saw 59.2% of its population aged 25-34 attain tertiary education, surpassing the EU average of 42.0%, as reported by Eurostat. This places Cyprus well above the EU’s 2030 target of 45.0% in this age group.

Notably, Cyprus, due to its size and population, is considered a single area in the NUTS 2 level of statistical analysis. The Lithuanian capital region leads with 73.6%, followed by 11 regions, including the capitals of France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Luxembourg, and Denmark, where over 60.0% of young adults have tertiary education.

These high-achieving regions are often attractive to highly qualified individuals, offering diverse educational, employment, and lifestyle opportunities. Regions specializing in research, innovation, or high-technology, such as Utrecht in the Netherlands and País Vasco in Spain, also recorded high tertiary education rates.

Conversely, 17 regions, mainly in Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechia, Italy, and France, had less than 25% of their young adults with tertiary education. Factors influencing these figures include rural settings, low skilled job opportunities, and a focus on vocational education leading to apprenticeships rather than academic qualifications.

The lowest levels of tertiary education were observed in regions like Sud - Muntenia and Sud - Est in Romania, Severozápad in Czechia, and Észak-Magyarország in Hungary.