World Bank Discussion Paper 244. Although many studies have analyzed the gender gap in primary and secondary education in developing countries, this study is one of the few that analyzes the gap at the tertiary, or university level. The authors track the patterns in women's access to and achievement in higher education, including student enrollment and access to faculty and administrative positions. The study also identifies successful strategies and measures for reducing the gender gap. Two issues are examined in this paper. Part I reviews how women have fared in the wake of expanded tertiary enrollments over the past three decades. Despite evidence proving the importance of women's access to higher education for economic growth, a pervasive gap remains, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. The second part examines the World Bank's experience in projects designed to improve women's experience in higher education. The extent and severity of constraints varied across regions. Results are limited and many projects are still in progress. The findings suggest that countries with low per capita income levels and difficult social settings for women may have the greatest barriers to female participation. Even where social constraints are less severe, the programs for improving female education must respond to the demands of the labor market.