The Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC)

This international survey is conducted in over 40 countries as part of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). It measures the key cognitive and workplace skills needed for individuals to participate in society and for economies to prosper.

The evidence from this survey will help countries better understand how education and training systems can nurture these skills. Educators, policy-makers, and labour economists will use this information to develop economic, education, and social policies that will continue to enhance the skills of adults.

The survey is implemented by…

• interviewing adults aged 16 to 65 in their homes—5,000 individuals in each participating country;
• answering questions via computer, although the survey can also be implemented using pencil and paper;
• assessing literacy and numeracy skills and the ability to solve problems in technology-rich environments; and
• collecting a broad range of information, including how skills are used at work and in other contexts, such as the home and the community.

The survey is designed...

• to be valid cross-culturally and cross-nationally;
• to allow countries to administer the survey in their national languages and still obtain comparable results;
• to provide comparative analysis of skill-formation systems and their outcomes, and international benchmarking regarding adult skills; and
• as a survey that will be repeated over time to allow policy-makers to monitor the development of key aspects of human capital in their countries.

Using data from the survey for decision making on policy

Data from the Survey of Adult Skills will allow investigation of the links between key information-processing skills and a range of variables, constituting a rich evidence base for policy-relevant analysis. In particular, data from this survey will facilitate a better understanding of:

• performance of education and training systems;
• the extent and dimensions of illiteracy and poor literacy;
• gaps between labour markets and education and training;
• equity levels in access to education and intergenerational mobility;
• young people’s transition from education to work;
• identification of at-risk populations; and
• links between key cognitive skills and variables such as demographics, educational background, health, etc.

Participating countries