Evaluating and ranking quality education for sustainable development in the Baltic States: A multi-criteria decision-making approach using Eurostat data

Dalia Streimikiene; Ahmad Bathaei

doi:10.63775/vq29r460

Authors

Dalia Streimikiene Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3247-9912
Ahmad Bathaei Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2419-2142

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63775/vq29r460

Keywords:

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Quality Education, COPRAS, Baltic States, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM)

Abstract

Achieving quality education is a fundamental pillar of sustainable development, as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). This study evaluates and ranks the performance of the Baltic States Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania regarding their progress toward quality education in the context of sustainability. Drawing on seven key Eurostat indicators, the research applies the Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) method, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach, to construct a composite index for each country. The selected indicators encompass various dimensions of education, including early school leaving, tertiary educational attainment, early childhood participation, low academic achievement, adult learning, and digital skills. The results show that Lithuania ranks highest overall, particularly excelling in formal education indicators such as tertiary attainment and early childhood education. Estonia demonstrates strong performance in digital literacy, adult participation in learning, and minimizing academic underachievement. Latvia shows moderate performance across most dimensions but requires more targeted policy efforts in digital and lifelong learning domains. The study fills a critical gap in the literature by providing a data-driven, comparative evaluation of education sustainability in the Baltic region. It offers practical insights for policymakers to enhance educational strategies and align national systems with the broader goals of sustainable development. Future research could expand this framework to other EU regions or incorporate qualitative metrics for a more comprehensive assessment.

References

Alam, G. M. (2025). Sustainable Education, Sustainability in Education and Education for Sustainable Development: The Reconciliation of Variables and the Path of Education Research in an Era of Technologization. Sustainability, 17(1), 250. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/1/250

Alisauskiene, S., & Harju-Luukkainen, H. (2021). Changes towards inclusion in the Lithuanian education system. In (pp. Chaper 12). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367810368-15

Ashida, A. (2022). The role of higher education in achieving the sustainable development goals. In Sustainable development disciplines for humanity: Breaking down the 5Ps—people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships (pp. 71-84). Springer.

Chatterjee, P., Athawale, V. M., & Chakraborty, S. (2011, 2011/02/01/). Materials selection using complex proportional assessment and evaluation of mixed data methods. Materials & Design, 32(2), 851-860. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2010.07.010

Clark, S., Gallagher, E., Boyle, N., Barrett, M., Hughes, C., O'Malley, N., Ebuenyi, I., Marshall, K., & O'Sullivan, K. (2023). The International Education Index: A global approach to education policy analysis, performance and sustainable development. British Educational Research Journal, 49(2), 266-287.

De Wit, H., & Altbach, P. G. (2021). Internationalization in higher education: Global trends and recommendations for its future. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 5(1), 28-46.

Elfert, M. (2019). Lifelong learning in Sustainable Development Goal 4: What does it mean for UNESCO’s rights-based approach to adult learning and education? International Review of Education, 65(4), 537-556.

Espinosa, V. I., & Pino, A. (2025). E-Government as a development strategy: The case of Estonia. International Journal of Public Administration, 48(2), 86-99.

Folayan, M. O., Ayouni, I., Nguweneza, A., Al-Batayneh, O. B., Virtanen, J. I., Gaffar, B., Duangthip, D., Sun, I. G. F., Onyejaka, N. K., & Daryanavard, H. (2023). A scoping review on the links between sustainable development goal 14 and early childhood caries. BMC Oral Health, 23(1), 881.

Gajdosikova, D., & Vojtekova, S. (2024). Comparative Analysis of Business Environment Dynamics in Central and Eastern Europe: A Multi-Criteria Approach. Economies, 12(12), 320.

Goyeneche, O. Y. R., Ramirez, M., Schot, J., & Arroyave, F. (2022). Mobilizing the transformative power of research for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Research Policy, 51(10), 104589.

Hansson, H., Säll, S., Abouhatab, A., Ahlgren, S., Berggren, Å., Hallström, E., Lundqvist, P., Persson, U. M., Rydhmer, L., & Röös, E. (2024). An indicator framework to guide food system sustainability transition–The case of Sweden. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 22, 100403.

Jurkynas, M. (2021). Regional Identities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: Being Baltic, Looking North. Problems of Post-Communism, 68(4), 327-338.

Kouam, J. C., & Asongu, S. A. (2022). Effects of taxation on social innovation and implications for achieving sustainable development goals in developing countries: A literature review. International Journal of Innovation Studies, 6(4), 259-275.

Kouskoura, A., Kalliontzi, E., Skalkos, D., & Bakouros, I. (2024). Assessing the key factors measuring regional competitiveness. Sustainability, 16(6), 2574.

Leišytė, L., Rose, A.-L., & Schimmelpfennig, E. (2018). Lithuanian Higher Education: Between Path Dependence and Change. In J. Huisman, A. Smolentseva, & I. Froumin (Eds.), 25 Years of Transformations of Higher Education Systems in Post-Soviet Countries: Reform and Continuity (pp. 285-310). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52980-6_11

Lella, L., Oses-Eraso, N., & Stamos, I. (2024). Pioneering a sustainable development goals monitoring framework for European regions. Ecological Indicators, 166, 112248.

Mohamed, B. H., Ari, I., Al-Sada, M. b. S., & Koç, M. (2021). Strategizing human development for a country in transition from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy. Sustainability, 13(24), 13750.

Okada, A., Panselinas, G., Bizoi, M., Malagrida, R., & Torres, P. L. (2024). Fostering transversal skills through open schooling with the CARE-KNOW-DO framework for sustainable education. Sustainability, 16(7), 2794.

Ramiro Troitiño, D., & Mazur, V. (2024). Digital Social Initiatives: Europe Connecting Citizens with Social Transformation. In E-Governance in the European Union: Strategies, Tools, and Implementation (pp. 71-85). Springer.

Ruiu, M. L., Ruiu, G., Ragnedda, M., & Addeo, F. (2024). Exploring Digital-Environment Habitus in Italy—How Digital Practices Reflect Users’ Environmental Orientations? Sustainability, 16(12), 4880.

Sousa, M., Almeida, M. F., & Calili, R. (2021). Multiple criteria decision making for the achievement of the UN sustainable development goals: A systematic literature review and a research agenda. Sustainability, 13(8), 4129.

Stenalt, M. H. (2021). Researching student agency in digital education as if the social aspects matter: students’ experience of participatory dimensions of online peer assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 46(4), 644-658.

Tyagi, R., Vishwakarma, S., Rishi, M., & Rajiah, S. (2021). Reducing inequalities through education and skill development courses. In Reduced Inequalities (pp. 746-758). Springer.

Veidemane, A. (2022). Education for sustainable development in higher education rankings: Challenges and opportunities for developing internationally comparable indicators. Sustainability, 14(9), 5102.

Zavadskas, E. K., Kaklauskas, A., Turskis, Z., & Tamošaitiene, J. (2008). Selection of the effective dwelling house walls by applying attributes values determined at intervals. Journal of civil engineering and management, 14(2), 85-93.