The PIAAC longitudinal study in Germany: rationale and design

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) initiated the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) in 2008 with the aim of assessing basic skills of the adult population in an internationally comparable way. The skills assessed—literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technologyrich environments—are considered to be essential for successful participation in modern society and to be a foundation for developing numerous other, more specific, skills or competences (OECD 2013a).1 PIAAC provides information about the extent to which the adult population in the participating countries differs in terms of the basic skills assessed. Moreover, it examines factors associated with the acquisition, retention, and maintenance of these skills, and sheds light on their effects on social and, in particular, economic participation. The PIAAC strategy entails repeating a cross-sectional survey design at regular intervals. The data collection for the first round of PIAAC was conducted in parallel in 24 countries—including Germany—in 2011/2012. This first round, the results of which were published in 2013, marked the starting point of this multi-cycle program. Further cycles are planned at 10-year intervals and will allow us to monitor and analyze how key skills are changing in our adult populations. In each country participating in PIAAC, a sample of at least 5000 adults (aged 16–65 years) was randomly selected from the target population in order to achieve unbiased and representative pictures of all countries. In Germany, a two-stage register-based