The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is putting the performance of young people around the world under the spotlight with the launch of the latest Programme for International Student Assessment, known as PISA.

The PISA 2025 results are being unveiled internationally, providing a fresh comparative picture of how 15-year-old students are performing across participating education systems. The OECD describes PISA as the world’s largest international comparative assessment of students in this age group.

The global launch features OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, followed by a presentation of the principal findings by Andreas Schleicher, Director of the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills. The programme also includes a question-and-answer session focused on the implications of the findings for education policy.

Science Takes Centre Stage

The 2025 PISA cycle places particular emphasis on science, while also measuring achievement in mathematics and reading. The assessment is designed not simply to determine whether students can recall information, but to examine how effectively they can apply knowledge and skills to real-world situations.

According to the OECD, more than 760,000 students in 91 countries and economies participated in the latest assessment. That scale gives the results considerable importance for governments seeking to understand how their education systems compare internationally.

Education Beyond Traditional Test Scores

The latest assessment also extends attention beyond conventional academic performance. The OECD says PISA 2025 examines areas including students’ curiosity, perseverance and learner agency, while providing new evidence about how young people use artificial intelligence for schoolwork.

That broader approach reflects the changing environment in which students are learning. Digital technologies, artificial intelligence and rapidly evolving workplace requirements are forcing education systems to reconsider which skills young people need to develop.

The results therefore have implications extending beyond classroom examination scores. They can help policymakers assess whether students are gaining the ability to reason, solve problems, adapt to new situations and use technology effectively.

A Major Reference Point for Education Policy

PISA has become an influential international benchmark for education systems. Its findings allow countries and economies to compare student outcomes while examining differences in learning opportunities and educational practices.

The OECD’s previous PISA research has highlighted substantial differences between education systems and stressed the importance of combining academic achievement with equitable learning opportunities and student well-being.

The new results are consequently expected to attract attention from governments, teachers, researchers and education organisations worldwide.

AI Adds a New Dimension

One of the most closely watched elements of the new assessment is its attention to artificial intelligence and digital learning.

AI is rapidly changing how students search for information, complete assignments and interact with educational material. At the same time, educators are confronting questions about academic integrity, independent thinking and whether technology strengthens or weakens learning.

By gathering evidence on students’ use of AI for schoolwork, PISA 2025 offers policymakers a potentially important international reference point as education systems develop rules and strategies for the rapidly changing technology landscape.

Why the PISA Findings Matter

The significance of PISA extends beyond international rankings. A country’s performance can prompt deeper questions about teaching quality, access to education, curriculum design, student support and the distribution of learning opportunities.

For policymakers, the challenge is to translate international comparisons into practical improvements. Strong results may provide evidence of successful approaches, while weaker outcomes can identify areas requiring investment, reform or additional support.

The release also comes at a time when education systems are balancing several pressures at once, including technological change, changing labour-market demands and the need to prepare students for problems that may not yet exist.

The PISA 2025 findings therefore represent more than another set of global education statistics. They provide a snapshot of how today’s students are developing the knowledge and capabilities that could shape tomorrow’s societies.

As governments and education leaders examine the new evidence, the central question will be how effectively the findings can be converted into better classrooms, stronger learning opportunities and more resilient education systems for the next generation.