Most studies have concluded that, although outlays on education will decline as a share of GDP, this will be offset by rapid growth of government outlays on pensions and medical care. For most industrial countries, the government social insurance commitments appear inadequately funded. Financial sustainability will be achieved only by a combination of cutbacks in benefits or an increase in contribution rates.
If the CICs have to seize the opportunities that the future holds for them, they need to overcome these challenges and come up with effective solutions, particularly to the problems concerning the quality of available data.