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OECD Feasibility Study for World-Wide Learning Outcomes Assessment Instrument

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is currently undertaking a feasibility study to develop an assessment tool to measure the skills and abilities of higher education graduates. According to OECD, the goal is to inform policy makers, business, and families how individual institutions are performing and meeting their expectations. Three expert meetings have been held to date.

ACE's Position on the OECD Assessment Initiative

While recognizing the need for continuous and rigorous assessment of student learning at higher education institutions worldwide, ACE, in collaboration with six U.S. higher education associations, urges caution in proceeding with OECD's proposed initiative, noting the difficulty of a standardized approach to learning outcomes across institutions with different missions, curriculum, academic standards, and institutional resources.

• Letter to Barbara Ischinger, Director of Education, OECD (March 27, 2008)

Additional Information

• OECD Project Description (external link)
• "Assessment of Learning Outcomes in Higher Education: A Comparative Review of Selected Practices." OECD Working Paper No. 15, February 2008, by Deborah Nusche
• Summary of First Meeting of Experts, (PDF) Washington, D.C., April 18, 2007
• Summary of Second Meeting of Experts, (PDF) Paris, July 5–6 2007
• Summary of Third Meeting of Experts, (PDF) Seoul, October 26–27, 2007

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This page last updated on: 09/02/2008