What question did this study set out to answer?

This paper aims to visualize the theoretical foundations of the PISA 2018 Global Competence Framework and assess its discourse regarding Education for Sustainable Development.

June 15, 2026Open Access

Globale Kompetenzen und Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Eine bibliometrische Analyse zur Verortung der globalen Kompetenzen der OECD im wissenschaftlichen Diskurs

Key Points

This paper aims to visualize the theoretical foundations of the PISA 2018 Global Competence Framework and assess its discourse regarding Education for Sustainable Development.
Conducted bibliometric analyses to review literature related to global competences and ESD.
Examined the analytical framework used in PISA 2018.
Identified gaps in consideration of ESD in the global competencies discourse.
The analysis revealed a significant lack of emphasis on Education for Sustainable Development within the PISA framework.
Dynamic debates and heterogeneous research strands are prevalent in the discourse surrounding global competences.
Recommendations were made to better integrate ESD perspectives into future global competence discussions.

Abstract

The Programme for International Study Assessment (PISA) regularly assesses a set of interdisciplinary competences in addition to the traditional core domains. With the 2018 assessment of ‘global competences’, the OECD (2019) aims to support evidence-based decisions on the improvement of the curricula and teaching in order to prepare young people to become active and global citizens who contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In assessing this domain, the OECD is entering a field of research characterised by dynamic debates and heterogeneous research strands. The aim of this paper is to visualise the theoretical foundations on which the analytical PISA 2018 Global Competence Framework (OECD 2019) is based, allowing a transparent discussion of the different theoretical reference points. The bibliometric analyses reveal that discourses related to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) are hardly taken into account in the analytical framework. The paper subsequently formulates impetus from the ESD research field with the aim of linking discourses in the future. (DIPF/Orig.)

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