Mandate:      Resolution of the Council approved at its 1253rd Session held on 22 November 2011 [C/M(2011)19 item 204, C(2011)92/REV2 and CORR1]

 

 

Resolution of the Council [C(2011)92/REV2 and CORR1]

resolution OF THE COUNCIL CONCERNING THE renewAL OF the MANDATE OF THE PROGRAMME for international student assessment

THE COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14 December 1960, and, in particular, Articles 5 a), 9 and 12 thereof;

Having regard to the Rules of Procedure of the Organisation;

Having regard to the Financial Regulations of the Organisation;

Having regard to the Resolution of the Council concerning the participation of non-Members in the work of subsidiary bodies of the Organisation [C(2004)132/FINAL];

Having regard to the Revised Resolution of the Council on a new governance structure for the Organisation [C(2006)78/REV1/FINAL];

Having regard to the Decision of the Council of 26 September 1997 to establish a Decentralised Programme for Producing Indicators on Student Achievement on a Regular Basis [C(97)176/FINAL], now referred to as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), as last renewed by Council on 14 December 2006 [Annex VI of C(2006)173 and C/M(2006)20, Item 265 ] and amended on 26 November 2009 [C(2009)175 and C/M(2009)22, Item 282];

Having regard to the Resolution of the Council of 9 April 2004 on Harmonisation of Names of Part II Subsidiary Bodies Supported by the Directorate for Education [C(2004)72 and C/M(2004)13];

Having regard to the recommendations of the In-depth Evaluation of PISA [C(2010)52 and C/M(2010)9, Item 104] and of the EDPC [C(2010)149 and C/M(2011)2, Item 11, ii)];

Having regard to the proposed renewal of the mandate of the Programme for International Student Assessment [C(2011)92/REV2];

Considering that Members and non-Members participating in the Programme for International Student Assessment wish to pursue their co-operation;

DECIDES:

A.    The Programme for International Student Assessment is renewed with the following mandate:

 

Mission and objectives

   The work of PISA reflects and complements the priorities of the OECD Members, in promoting sustainable development and social cohesion through good governance. The programme contributes to supporting participating Members and non-Members in achieving high quality lifelong learning for all that contributes to personal development, sustainable economic growth and social cohesion.

   Every three years, until the end of the current mandate, PISA implements and analyses internationally standardised assessments of student learning outcomes up to the end of compulsory education that extend to educational content in curricular and cross-curricular areas, as well as to learning processes, behaviours and attitudes. Within the overall OECD education work programme, PISA seeks to progressively enhance comparative policy insights on how to improve: the quality of learning outcomes; equity in learning opportunities; the effectiveness and efficiency of educational processes; and the impact of learning outcomes. The three-yearly implementation of the surveys also provides trend indicators that allow participants to monitor improvements in educational outcomes.

Participation

   Participation in PISA is open to all OECD Members. In line with the Global Relations Strategy of the PISA Governing Board (“PGB”), non-Members may participate in the PISA survey and may be invited by the PGB as observers to the PGB. Non-Members may apply for Full Participant status, which the PGB shall consider and make recommendations (via the External Relations Committee) on to the Council for approval.

Governing Board

   The PISA Governing Board shall be concerned with all matters in the field of competence of the Programme including those of any subsidiary bodies. Having regard to the mandate of the Education Policy Committee (EDPC), the PGB, in particular:

· Determines the policy priorities for PISA and oversees adherence to these priorities during implementation. This includes the setting of priorities and standards for data development, analysis and reporting as well as the determination of the scope of work that will then form the basis for the implementation of PISA;

· Works with the OECD Secretariat to ensure compliance with the policy objectives and design parameters at milestones during implementation;

· Develops and approves its work programme and budget and the floor contribution for the calculation of the scale of contributions, taking into account the medium-term strategy developed by the Education Policy Committee;

· Prioritises its activities and outputs in consultation with the Education Policy Committee;

· Monitors the quality and timeliness of output results, activities and projects;

· Disseminates its policy advice, analysis, research and data to a wide range of Member and non-Member stakeholders;

· Evaluates the outcomes of the work;

· Seeks the guidance of the Education Policy Committee for recommendations with major policy implications and for decisions to launch major new activities with significant financial implications for OECD Members.

   Representatives on the PGB are deemed to speak on behalf of the government that they represent. Governments should, whenever possible, appoint representatives to the PGB who are knowledgeable about large-scale student assessments and their interface with educational policy and practice.

   The Chair and Vice-Chairs of the PGB will be designated for a one year period with the understanding that this can be renewed at least twice.

   The Chair or a Vice‑Chair of the Education Policy Committee and the Governing Board of the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation may attend meetings of the PGB, ex officio.

   In accordance with Rule 4 of the OECD Rules of Procedure, the Governing Board may organise its meetings or meeting of its subsidiary bodies outside OECD Headquarters. The host will accept responsibility for additional direct and indirect expenditures related to the meeting so that it is no more expensive for the Organisation that it would have been if held at OECD Headquarters, except if specific circumstances justify a different approach.

Decision-Making

   The PGB shall seek the consensus in its deliberations and decisions. If unable to reach consensus, the matter will be brought to a vote and will be decided by a two-thirds majority of the PGB. Notwithstanding this provision, decisions relating to the operation of the PGB, the elements to be included in calculating the floor contribution for the scale of contributions, changes to project design and structure as well as the frequency of successive PISA surveys and matters related to the participation by non-Members will be adopted by consensus.

Budget of the Programme

   The programme of work and budget of the Programme and the scale of contributions shall be examined by the Budget Committee which shall address its comments to the PGB and shall refer to the Council any question which cannot be settled by agreement with the PGB. The budget shall be deemed to be adopted at the end of this procedure.

   The expenditure of the Programme shall be charged against the appropriations authorised for it under a Part II Chapter of the Budget of the Organisation.

   The scale of contributions [see EDU/PISA/GB(2008)4/REV1] will be composed of a floor contribution, to be determined by the PGB, and the remainder of costs to be assigned to Members and Full Participants on the basis of the OECD principles and rules for determining the scales of contributions by Members other than for Part I of the Budget of the Organisation,^[1]* using as input statistics the national income data and exchange rates used in the calculation of scales for the previous year, subject to the following:

-  Each Member and Full Participant’s contribution will be determined by the previous year’s contribution in real terms plus an adjusted difference representing the difference between their contribution for the current year as calculated in accordance with the previous paragraph and the previous year’s inflation adjusted contribution, adjusted so that:

- no Member’s or Full Participant’s contribution increases or decreases by reference to their contribution in the previous year by more than 5% in real terms, and

- all Members and Full Participants share the same percentage in the difference between their contribution for the current year as calculated in accordance with the previous paragraph and the previous year’s contribution in real terms.

   In order to secure stable funding for the programme and smooth the payment of assessed contributions by participating countries over successive years, appropriations for which no commitment has been entered into before the end of the Financial Year for which they were appropriated as well as any surplus income shall be automatically carried forward to the budget for the ensuing year by decision of the Secretary‑General, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 10 of the Financial Regulations of the Organisation.

Relationship with other bodies

   The PGB shall maintain close working relationships with other relevant bodies of the Organisation working on issues related to educational assessment and outcomes. The PGB shall co-operate with other international and regional organisations active in its field of competence. It may consult with non-governmental bodies as and when necessary.

Duration

B.       This mandate shall remain in force until 31 December 2016.