The arrangements and requirements for participation in PIAAC Cycle 2, Round 2 are stated below.
- The base international overhead costs for new participants in PIAAC are EUR 600 000, payable over five years at EUR 120 000 per year from 2025 to 2029 inclusive. Additionally, the costs for the national implementation of the programme are borne entirely by the participating countries/economies.
- Participating countries/economies must establish National Centres responsible for the national implementation of the Survey. The structure and role of national centres are the countries’ choice. They will vary according to the size and administrative arrangements of countries as well as on the availability of human and financial resources. National centres are responsible for ensuring that PIAAC is implemented following the international standards and guidelines that are designed to ensure the comparability and quality of outcomes. In addition to management, coordination, and communication tasks, national centres are responsible for drawing national samples, translating or adapting the cognitive instruments and questionnaires, coordinating the administration of both the field trial and the main study, managing technology-related operational issues, preparing and submitting a national data file to the Consortium, reviewing national and international results, and preparing national reports.
- Participating countries/economies must also identify a leading survey institute responsible for the design and implementation of PIAAC. A country’s survey institute must have the following qualifications: i) experience in collaborating with other institutes/organisations/agencies within its own country as well as in other countries; and ii) successful completion of at least two national probability surveys, each with a sample size of several thousand (ideally, 4 500 to 5 000 completed interviews).
- Applications to participate in PIAAC are considered through an official letter informing the OECD of a country’s/economy’s intention to participate in PIAAC, including confirmation of its intention to contribute to the international overhead costs. Letters should be addressed to the OECD Secretariat, Directorate for Education and Skills (edu.piaac@oecd.org). The application will then be presented to the PIAAC Board of Participating Countries for its approval, and you will be informed soon after of its decision.