In its efforts to develop methodologies and data reporting for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), the UIS is inviting technical experts from regional and international learning assessment organizations to a Second Meeting of Cross-National Assessments. Hosted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), the meeting is convened in Hamburg, Germany from 21 to 22 September 2017.

The UIS will lead the discussions on how to resolve measurement issues in order to improve the coverage and comparability of data needed to produce SDG Indicator 4.1.1, which measures the “proportion of children and young people (a) in Grade 2 or 3; (b) at the end of primary education; and (c) at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex”. The expert group will work out a roadmap to link national learning assessments on a global scale so that results are comparable across countries and regions.

Under the guidance of the Global Alliance to Monitor Learning (GAML), which brings together key stakeholders to support countries in measuring learning outcomes, the meeting will:

  • address interim reporting mechanisms until the UIS reporting scale is in place;
  • develop a strategy to improve data coverage; and
  • agree on the way forward to benchmark and link cross-national assessments.