The arrangements and requirements for participation in PISA 2025 are stated below.
1) The base international overhead costs for new participants in PISA 2025 is EUR 210 000 payable over three years at EUR 70 000 per year from 2023 to 2025 inclusive.
PISA 2025 also offers two optional partnership options for countries/economies that participate in PISA for the first time, with the aim of maximising the benefits to countries/economies of participation in PISA. New countries/economies can opt for the Capacity Building and Implementation Support option which offers support with preparation and implementation. In addition they can ask for help with analysis and reporting of the data. The costs for all the options are summarised in the table below.
| Total | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Base cost | € 210 000 | € 70 000 | € 70 000 | € 70 000 |
Optional Capacity building support with preparation and implementation | € 170 000 | € 56 000 | € 57 000 | € 57 000 |
Optional support with data analysis and reporting | € 250 000 | € 84 000 | € 83 000 | € 83 000 |
2) Additionally, the costs for the national implementation of the programme are borne entirely by the participating countries/economies. In particular, all participating countries/economies are required to:
i) take responsibility for drawing a representative sample of schools and students in compliance with the internationally agreed target population definitions and sampling procedures. The field trial included a sample of approximately 2 000 students and the main study a sample of approximately 6 300 students;
ii) have the authority and resources to recruit schools to participate and to administer the assessment;
iii) have the capacity to deal with issues of translation and adaptation of the test and questionnaire; and
iv) have the capacity to administer the test in schools and score open-ended test items.
3) Participating countries/economies need to appoint a National Project Manager (NPM) who carries out the surveys in the national context. The NPM works with the OECD contractors on all issues related to the implementation of PISA in their country/economy. The NPM plays an important role not just in the successful implementation of PISA in accordance with OECD quality standards, but also in the development and review of PISA reports and publications. The NPM should have a university degree and previous experience in planning, organising and conducting large-scale surveys. Skills in managing a project with simultaneous multiple tasks, a high level of oral and written communication skills, fluency in English and knowledge of the national education systems are also important. English is the communication language for NPMs as well as the language used in the respective written documentation.
All participants are expected to attend the meetings of the NPMs. For the PISA 2025 cycle the first meeting will be held in March 2023. Further meetings will be held in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
4) Participants are also expected to nominate a representative for the PISA Governing Board (PGB). This Board is represented by all participating countries/economies at senior policy levels and is responsible for specifying the policy priorities and standards for the development of indicators, establishment of the assessment instruments, and the reporting of results. The PGB meets twice a year – March/April and October/November. Participation for PISA partner countries/economies (OECD non-Members) in these meetings is optional.
5) Applications to participate in PISA are considered through an official letter informing the OECD of a country’s/economy’s intention to participate in PISA including confirmation of its intention to contribute to the international overhead costs. Letters should be addressed to: Mr. Andreas Schleicher, Directorate for Education (edu.pisa@oecd.org). The application will then be presented to the PISA Governing Board for its approval and you will be informed soon after of its decision.