On the Analytical Value of PISA 2006 Results: Opportunities and Challenges for the Austrian Labour Market

Recent PISA results have once again placed Austria among the middle ranks of participating countries: a position that appears disappointing for a country that enjoys a top rank in Europe in terms of per-capita income and is among the top ten industrialised countries. Nevertheless, PISA findings should be taken with a pinch of salt: surveying problems and differences between targets set by school systems have considerable impact on the results. Furthermore, it would be useful to look at whether the differences identified are actually statistically significant over time and between countries.