The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has been appointed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to lead the 2029 cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), marking the second consecutive time the Australian organisation has been selected to deliver the global benchmark study.
Following a competitive tender process, ACER will oversee the development and implementation of PISA 2029 across more than 90 countries and economies. Now in its 10th cycle, PISA is the world’s largest international education assessment and plays a significant role in shaping policy both globally and domestically.
PISA evaluates how well 15-year-old students can apply their knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics and science to real-world challenges. The 2029 cycle will place a particular emphasis on reading as its core domain.
A key feature of the upcoming cycle will be the introduction of a new ‘innovative domain’ – Media and AI Literacy – described as a first-of-its-kind international assessment. The domain will examine students’ ability to access, analyse and critically engage with digital information, including misinformation and disinformation, reflecting the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital media in everyday life.
ACER will work alongside the OECD and subject matter experts to design the assessment, with a focus on ensuring it reflects the skills students need to navigate AI in their learning and broader environments.
To support delivery, ACER will again partner with quality assurance organisations cApStAn and HallStat, whose expertise in translation verification, cultural sensitivity and linguistic control underpins the comparability of results across participating countries.
The 2029 cycle will also introduce new accessibility features and updated test formats aimed at broadening participation and enabling students to engage with the assessment according to their functional needs.
Dr Goran Lazendic has been reappointed as International Survey Director, having led the 2025 program. He said the organisation would continue to build on recent innovations in digital delivery to improve access and participation.
ACER CEO Ms Lisa Rodgers said the new innovative domain comes at a critical time for education systems worldwide.
“Measuring how well students can apply learning to the real world has always been at the heart of PISA. The 2029 Innovative Domain will be the first study of its kind to assess how equipped the next generation is to co-exist with AI and think critically about what they see online,” she said.
The results of PISA 2025, which featured ‘Learning in the Digital World’ as its innovative domain, are due to be released on 8 September 2026.
