Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
PISA is a worldwide study of scholastic performance. Launched in 2000 and conducted on a triennial basis, it assesses adolescent’s skills and knowledge in the areas of reading, mathematics and science.
Its objective is to measure literacy, which includes, in addition to knowledge in the individual subjects, the ability to reflect on one’s skills and experience and to use these to tackle daily challenges. In this context, it examines how well prepared 15-year-olds are to participate in today’s society. The performance tests are supplemented by surveys of students’ individual, scholastic and family circumstances, which provide information that is key to explaining the differing performance levels.