The line graph illustrates the proportion of university students at the graduate level in four different nations from 1961 to 2011.
Overall, the data for these countries all followed an upward trend over the period. Additionally, Italian students showed the most significant increases in all four countries.
According to the Italian graduate students, which has the highest proportion of graduate students at about 25%, followed by Portugal by 15%. In 1997, Portugal doubled from 15% to 30% while Italy fell slightly by 21%. Over the next two decades, the percentage of graduate students in universities in Portugal still grew at around 35% before falling marginally and then rising again after 1991, ending at 40% in 2011.Italy’s percentage also climbed steadily, finishing close to 42% in 2011.
Regarding Spain, the number of Spanish college students remained stable throughout the period and the figure of French students hit the lowest point in the first year, standing at 13% and 3%, respectively. In 1991, the figure of French and Spanish students increased at 15% ( the same figure), then the percentage of Spanish students remained unchanged until 2011 and French students reached a peak of nearly 20%.