From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe the envy of somebodybe the envy of somebodyJEALOUSto be something that other people admire and want to have very much an education system that is the envy of all European countries → envy
Examples from the Corpus
be the envy of somebody• The mortgage department was the envy of the firm.• And the one here, even incomplete, is the envy of all.• It is a masterpiece of the silversmith's art - a trophy which will be the envy of the other National Associations.• The result was low inflation, job creation that was the envy of the developed world, and general prosperity.• Leven has a playing field second to none which is the envy of many villages in the area.• These structures provide not just a sense of belonging but a social life that would be the envy of many Westerners.• They would be the envy of most developing countries. 