Gradstein and Nikitin document the vast expansion of schooling over the past several decades, as well as convergence in schooling measures across countries. They make the observation that poor countries today have higher average education levels than countries at the same level of economic development had in the past. They propose a simple model that suggests that these trends can be attributed to the intertemporal expansion of the world technological frontier, which enhances the demand for schooling. Their empirical analysis supports the view that educational expansion has occurred because of the increase in demand, especially in open economies, and not because of cost-reducing improvements in the education sector.This paper - a product of Public Services, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study education expansion.

The authors document the vast expansion of schooling over the past several decades, as well as convergence in schooling measures across countries. They make the observation that poor countries today have higher average education levels than countries at the same level of economic development had in the past. They propose a simple model that suggests that these trends can be attributed to the intertemporal expansion of the world technological frontier, which enhances the demand for schooling. Their empirical analysis supports the view that educational expansion has occurred because of the increase in demand, especially in open economies, and not because of cost-reducing improvements in the education sector.

Comprises a collection of articles by various authors on different aspects of the economics of education which were previously published between 1964 and 1990.

The paper presents evidence on the over-time behavior of the rate of return to investment in education in a large number of countries. The emerging pattern is one of declining returns through time, a fact that is interpreted in the context of alternative theories on the relationship between education and earnings, such as human capital, screening, labor market segmentation and the maintenance of the status quo from generation to generation. The evidence lends support to a human capital view of the world. Finally, the slow rate of decline of the returns to education over time dispells fears that education might have overexpanded, especially in developing countries.

Aiming to bridge theory and practice, each chapter outlines relevant literature, highlights key areas for consideration, and offers suggestions for real-world application. The book will be of interest to researchers, university students, expedition organisers, and outdoor instructors.