Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

Research programme investigates basic skills of adults

PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies), also known as Survey of Adult Skills, is an international research programme initiated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The study assesses the various basic skills needed by the adult population in different walks of life, as well as their application to work and everyday living. Literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills form the key focus areas of the study. 

The Cycle 1 of PIAAC was conducted in 2011-2017 in three rounds. In Round 1 (2011-2012), 24 countries or economies were involved in PIAAC, including Finland. The data provided new information on skills distribution and education amongst Finns, their activities as citizens and in working life, and the way in which these factors affect their social and economic well-being. The Finnish PIAAC Cycle 1 (Round 1) data consists of some 5,400 respondents. On the whole, the PIAAC Round 1 data consists of around 166,000 respondents from 24 countries. Round 2 of PIAAC Cycle 1 was conducted in 2014-2015 in 9 countries or economies and Round 3 in 2017 in 6 countries or economies. Overall, 38 countries or economies participated PIAAC Cycle 1. The total number of respondents in Cycle 1 was around 250,000.

The Cycle 2 of PIAAC started in September 2022. The number of participating countries or economies is 32, Finland being one of them. In Finland, 8,400 individuals are sampled for the main study. The data collection for the field trial started in spring 2021. The main study takes place in 2022-2023 and the results will be published in 2024.