The OECD will launch its first ever Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) on Tuesday 8 October at 11.00 AM CET.

With governments seeking solutions to serious challenges including unemployment, competitiveness and productivity, the new OECD Survey provides an evidence-based analysis of how better skills will change people’s employment prospects and lives and boost economic growth.

The OECD tested more than 150,000 adults aged 16-65 in 24 countries (see list below*). Assessments of reading, numeracy and problem solving abilities measure what people know and how they use their skills at work. It is the first international survey that tests people actual skills, instead of estimating them based on their educational backgrounds.  

The internationally comparable results reveal wide differences both within and between countries, across generations and socio-economic groups. The Survey shows how people’s proficiency in basic skills affects their earnings and employment and their health and involvement in society. It provides new evidence of how effectively countries use their skills and how some are better in making good use of their talent.

The following media events are planned (all local times):

Monday 7 October (under embargo)

Madrid – 11.00 a.m. – media briefing with Yves Leterme, OECD Deputy Secretary-General, and William Thorn, co-author of the report, together with Montserrat Gomendio, Spanish Secretary of State for Education. At the Press Hall of the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Alcalá 34, 28004, Madrid. To register, email Francisco Javier García of the Education Ministry at fjavier.garcia@mecd.es.

London – 11.30 a.m. – media briefing with Andreas Schleicher, co-ordinator of the study and OECD Deputy Director for Education and Skills. Hosted by the Education and Employers Taskforce and The Work Foundation, the briefing will take place at the Auditorium, Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML), 2 King Edward St, London, Greater London EC1A 1HQ. To register, contact Spencer Wilson, OECD Media Division spencer.wilson@oecd.org.

Paris – 14.00 p.m. - media briefing with Stefano Scarpetta, OECD Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, at OECD headquarters. To register, contact Thibaut Gigou, OECD Media Division – Thibaut.gigou@oecd.org or 01 45 24 14 28.

Tuesday 8 October

Berlin – 11.00 a.m. – news conference with Barbara Ischinger, OECD Director of Education, and high representatives of the German Ministries of Education and Employment. At Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung – BMBF, Gartenhaus, Hannoversche Straße 28-30, 10115 Berlin. To register, contact Antonie Kerwien (tel. + 49 30.28.88.35.41 or email antonie.kerwien@oecd.org)  or Press Office of the Education Ministry,at presse@bmbf.bund.de or tel. 030 18575050.

Oslo - 11.00 a.m. - press seminar with the Minister of Education and Research, Kristin Halvorsen,  William Thorn, OECD co-author of the report, and Brigit Bjørkeng (NPM, Statistics Norway). Hosted by the Ministry of Education and Research, the seminar will take place in Plenumssalen in building R4. The seminar is open, no registration needed, contact xeni.dimakos@kd.dep.no for more information.

Brussels – 12.30 p.m. – news conference with OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, together with Stefano Scarpetta, OECD Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, and Andreas Schleicher, co-ordinator of the study and OECD Deputy Director for Education and Skills. At the Berlaymont  building, press room, 200 Rue de la Loi, Brussels. To register, email Spencer Wilson, OECD Media Division (spencer.wilson@oecd.org). This event will be webcast at  http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/ebs/schedule.cfm?sitelang=en&page=1&institution=0&date=09/23/2013

Public webinar – 20.30 p.m. Paris time/14.30 East Coast US time – with Andreas Schleicher, co-ordinator of the study and OECD Deputy Director for Education and Skills. To register, go to https://oecdwash.webex.com/oecdwash/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=662940785

Details of other launch events will be posted to the OECD website at http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/.