Qatar ranks 1st globally in ‘efficiency of the labor market’ and ‘employment rate with vocational education’ in Global Knowledge Index 2022

7 February 2023- Qatar has secured the top position globally in the ‘efficiency of the labor market’ and ‘employment rate with vocational education’ in the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) 2022, which was published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Mohammed bin Rashid Foundation Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF). The GKI constitutes a significant addition to the global knowledge assets related to building development indicators.

The index placed Qatar 37th out of 132 countries globally in the GKI 2022 and 37th out of 60 countries worldwide with very high human development. The GKI also emphasized Qatar's exceptional performance in five indicators that revolved around education and employment rates, as it has been rated first in terms of the researcher's share of Research and Development (R&D) expenditure.

Qatar also held the first place in the lowest rate of unemployment among higher and vocational education graduates, and in the proportion of technical education and vocational training jobs. The country secured the second position in enabling a favorable educational environment, and the first globally in the percentage of primary and secondary schools with access to computers.

The index focuses on seven compound sub-indicators that cover the performance of six key knowledge sectors, which include pre-university education; technical education and vocational training; higher education; ICT; innovation, research & development (R&D); and the economy; along with the environment sub-indicator, which mainly focuses on the social, political, economic, health, and environmental contexts of these sectors.

The GKI offers a range of reliable data that supports nations and decision-makers in comprehending and responding to transformations and challenges, as well as highlighting the key knowledge barriers in realizing the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The UNDP released the GKI 2022 results on the sidelines of the Youth Knowledge Forum, which was held in cooperation with the MBRF. The index included 155 variables and 132 countries, including 11 Arab countries.