2 Sept 2026
Shortly before the release of the new PISA results, Prof. Dr. Katja Scharenberg, a professor in the Department of Educational Sciences and Rehabilitation, explains what really matters when interpreting the study.
PISA provides important data on the competencies of young people—but the results should not be interpreted as a simple ranking of education systems. Prof. Dr. Katja Scharenberg, professor of general pedagogy and education and socialization research at LMU, argues that we should focus more on long-term trends, differences in competencies, and social inequalities in education. A single ranking says little about the quality of an education system. What is far more crucial, she argues, is how competency levels are evolving, how many young people fail to achieve basic competencies, and whether disparities between social groups are narrowing or widening. In light of digitalization and generative AI, Scharenberg also emphasizes that the ability to critically evaluate information and independently manage one’s own learning is becoming increasingly important. Education, therefore, should not be reduced to what PISA can measure.
The full interview with Katja Scharenberg can be found in the LMU newsroom.