Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage, or post-secondary education, is a non-compulsory educational level following the completion of school providing secondary education, such as high schools, secondary schools. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and graduate education, and vocational education and training. Colleges and universities are the main institutions that provide tertiary education. Collectively, these are sometimes known as tertiary institutions. Tertiary education generally results in the receipt of certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees.
Higher education includes teaching, research and social services activities of universities, and in the field of teaching, it includes both the undergraduate level (sometimes referred to as tertiary education) and graduate (or postgraduate) level (sometimes referred to as graduate school). Higher education generally involves work towards the levels or foundation degree qualification. In most developed countries a high proportion of the population (up to 50%) now enter higher education at some point in their lives. Higher education is therefore very important to national economies, both as a significant industry in itself, and as a source of trained and educated for the rest of the economy.
Higher education refers to the level of education provided in colleges, universities, colleges, seminaries, institutes of technology and certain other college level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools and career colleges, that award academic degrees or professional certifications.