Italy
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Italy
Adult skills (Survey of Adult Skills, PIAAC, 2023)
  • In Italy, adults aged 16-65 scored, on average, 245 points in literacy (below the OECD average), 244 points in numeracy (below the OECD average), and 231 points in adaptive problem solving (below the OECD average).
  • In literacy, 35% of adults (OECD average: 26%) scored at Level 1 or below, meaning they have low literacy proficiency. At Level 1, they can understand short texts and organised lists when information is clearly indicated, find specific information and identify relevant links. Those below Level 1 can at most understand short, simple sentences. At the other end of the spectrum, 5% of adults (OECD average: 12%) scored at Levels 4 or 5 in literacy and are high performers. These adults can comprehend and evaluate long, dense texts across several pages, grasp complex or hidden meanings, and use prior knowledge to understand texts and complete tasks.
  • In numeracy, 35% of adults (OECD average: 25%) scored at or below Level 1 proficiency. At Level 1, they can do basic maths with whole numbers or money, understand decimals, and find single pieces of information in tables or charts, but may struggle with tasks needing multiple steps (e.g. solving a proportion). Those below Level 1 can add and subtract small numbers. Adults at Levels 4 or 5 are top performers (6% in Italy, 14% on average across OECD countries and economies). They can calculate and understand rates and ratios, interpret complex graphs, and critically evaluate statistical claims.
  • In adaptive problem solving, 46% of adults (OECD average: 29%) scored at or below Level 1 proficiency. Adults at Level 1 can solve simple problems with few variables and little irrelevant information, which do not change as they make progress towards the solution. They struggle with multi-step problems, or those needing monitoring of multiple variables. Adults below Level 1 at most understand very simple problems, typically solved in one step. Some 1% of adults (OECD average: 5%) scored at Level 4. They have a deeper understanding of problems, and can adapt to unexpected changes, even if they require a major re-evaluation of the problem.
  • When considering all three domains jointly, 26% of adults in Italy (OECD average: 18%) scored at the two lowest levels of these proficiency scales.
    • | Country note | Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) | Survey of Adult Skills 2023: Do Adults Have the Skills They Need to Thrive in a Changing World? | The Survey of Adult Skills - Reader's Companion | Understanding Skill Gaps in Firms: Results of the PIAAC Employer Module | Survey of Adult Skills 2023 Data Analysis Manual |

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    The following list displays indicators for which your selected country shows the highest and lowest values among countries. The list can be sorted by level of education or by age group. All rankings are calculated including available data from OECD and partner countries. Find out more about the methodology here.

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    Graduation

    The average age of master's or equivalent graduates in Italy is among the oldest. (28.2 Years, rank 7/22 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    In Italy, the share of female first-time bachelor's graduates is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (56.7 %, rank 27/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    In Italy, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of services is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (1 %, rank 8/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (5 %, rank 4/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2 %, rank 1/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    In Italy, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the field of education is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (90.6 %, rank 3/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of arts and humanities is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (70.9 %, rank 7/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (65.5 %, rank 34/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (51.1 %, rank 35/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (39.3 %, rank 7/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of information and communication technologies is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (18.1 %, rank 33/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (66.5 %, rank 42/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Completion rates

    Completion rates of all new entrants to bachelor's programmes by the theoretical duration ranked Italy among the countries with the lowest levels. (37.2 %, rank 24/33 , 2020) Download Indicator

    Female completion rates to bachelor's programmes, measured by the end of the theoretical duration plus one year, were among the lowest across participating countries. (56.3 %, rank 25/32 , 2021) Download Indicator

    By the end of the theoretical duration plus one year, completion rates of all new entrants to bachelor's programmes placed Italy among the lowest across countries with available data. (51.4 %, rank 25/32 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Female completion rates to bachelor's programmes, measured three years beyond the theoretical duration, were among the lowest across countries with available data. (60.8 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Male completion rates to bachelor's programmes three years after the theoretical duration placed Italy among the lowest values internationally. (50.8 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The completion rate of all new entrants to bachelor's programmes, measured three years beyond the theoretical end of the programme, ranked Italy among the lowest across countries. (56.2 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Dropout rates

    Female drop out rates by the end of the theoretical duration plus three years placed Italy among the highest across countries. (23.9 %, rank 10/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Italy, the share of new entrants in education bachelor's programmes is comparatively smallest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (4 %, rank 33/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Literacy

    The mean literacy score is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (245 PIAAC Score, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in Iiteracy is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (5.4 %, rank 25/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring at or below level 1 in Iiteracy is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (34.7 %, rank 6/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Numeracy

    The mean numeracy score is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (244 PIAAC Score, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring high (at Level 2 or 3) in numeracy is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (6.2 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring at or below level 1 in numeracy is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (35.3 %, rank 4/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Adaptive problem solving

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) is low compared to other participating countries. (231 PIAAC Score, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring high (at Level 4) in adaptive problem solving in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) is low compared to other participating countries. (0.9 %, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of adults scoring low (at or below Level 1) in adaptive problem solving in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) is high compared to other participating countries. (45.6 %, rank 3/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Skills differences between age groups

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for 16-24 year-olds is low compared to other participating countries. (245 PIAAC Score, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for 25-34 year-olds is low compared to other participating countries. (238 PIAAC Score, rank 29/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for 35-44 year-olds is low compared to other participating countries. (233 PIAAC Score, rank 29/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for 45-54 year-olds is low compared to other participating countries. (227 PIAAC Score, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for 55-65 year-olds is low compared to other participating countries. (221 PIAAC Score, rank 24/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for young people aged between 25 and 34 is low compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (253 PIAAC Score, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for people aged between 35 and 44 is low compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (248 PIAAC Score, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for young adults (16-24 year-olds) is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (259 PIAAC Score, rank 22/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for young people aged between 25 and 34 is low compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (250 PIAAC Score, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for people aged between 35 and 44 is low compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (247 PIAAC Score, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for people aged between 45 and 54 is low compared to other countries participating in PIAAC. (241 PIAAC Score, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Skills differences by gender

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for men is low compared to other participating countries. (232 PIAAC Score, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for women is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (230 PIAAC Score, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score among men is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (244 PIAAC Score, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score among women is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (247 PIAAC Score, rank 25/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score among men is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (248 PIAAC Score, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score among women is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (241 PIAAC Score, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Skills differences by level of education

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for adults with tertiary education is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (250 PIAAC Score, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score for adults with tertiary education is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (271 PIAAC Score, rank 23/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for adults with tertiary education is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (271 PIAAC Score, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Skills by immigrant and language background

    The mean literacy score for native-born adults of native-born parents is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (249 PIAAC Score, rank 24/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for foreign-born adults of foreign-born parents is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (215 PIAAC Score, rank 23/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for native-born adults of foreign-born parents is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (246 PIAAC Score, rank 20/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score for native-born adults of native-born parents is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (248 PIAAC Score, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for native-born adults of foreign-born parents is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (226 PIAAC Score, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for native-born adults of native-born parents is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (233 PIAAC Score, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Skills by parents' educational attainment

    The mean score in adaptive problem solving for adults with at least one parent who attained tertiary education is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (253 PIAAC Score, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean literacy score with at least one parent with tertiary education is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (272 PIAAC Score, rank 25/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The mean numeracy score with at least one parent with tertiary education is low compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (272 PIAAC Score, rank 26/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Adults' skills

    The percentage of adults scoring at or below level 1 in literacy and/or numeracy is high compared to other countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). (28.1 %, rank 4/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of teachers younger than 30 in secondary schools is among the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5 %, rank 33/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in primary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (94.4 %, rank 3/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in lower secondary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (76.2 %, rank 9/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (39.4 %, rank 36/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (4.9 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is especially low. (41.4 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary teachers older than 50 is especially high. (57.2 %, rank 1/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of lower secondary teachers older than 50 is especially high. (48.8 %, rank 7/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers older than 50 is especially high. (53.7 %, rank 4/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in lower secondary education is especially high in Italy. (78.8 %, rank 8/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in tertiary education is especially low in Italy. (36.4 %, rank 29/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of tertiary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (43.6 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of tertiary teachers older than 50 is relatively high, compared to other countries with data available. (55.4 %, rank 1/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of tertiary teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (1 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers aged 50 or more in pre-primary education is especially high in Italy (53.6 %, rank 2/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the percentage of teachers under 30 in pre-primary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.3 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the percentage of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in pre-primary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (42.1 %, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In upper secondary education, the percentage of teachers aged 50 or more is particularly high in Italy. (55.2 %, rank 4/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in Italy is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5 %, rank 27/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the percentage of upper secondary general education teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively low, compared to the other countries with available data. (39.8 %, rank 30/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the share of upper secondary vocational education teachers aged 50 or more is relatively high, compared to the other countries with available data. (51.8 %, rank 4/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the percentage of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in upper secondary vocational education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (42.3 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The number of students per teacher in tertiary institutions is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19.6 Ratio, rank 8/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The number of students per teacher in primary schools is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner countries with available data. (10.7 Ratio, rank 38/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the ratio of children to contact staff in pre-primary education is one of the highest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (11.1 Ratio, rank 7/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the number of students per teacher in general upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (10 Ratio, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Italy, the number of students per teacher in private institutions tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (22.2 Ratio, rank 10/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

    Classes are particularly small in primary schools. (18 Students, rank 26/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Classes in public primary institutions are comparatively small in Italy. (18 Students, rank 30/37 , 2023) Download Indicator


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    General findings
    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
      In the 2023 Survey of Adult Skills, literacy is defined as "accessing, understanding, evaluating, and reflecting on written texts in order to achieve one's goals, to develop one's knowledge and potential, and to participate in society" (Rouet et al., 2021). Proficiency in literacy is crucial for adults across their personal, social and professional spheres, given the prevalence of written communication in various aspects of life. Throughout the day, adults engage in a diverse range of reading activities, spanning from delving into extensive pieces of continuous text to swiftly scanning pages for pertinent information. Examples include reading emails, leaflets, timetables and instruction manuals.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Adult competencies | 
    
                            
    
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      In the 2023 Survey of Adult Skills, numeracy encompasses "accessing, using, and reasoning critically with mathematical content, information and ideas represented in multiple ways in order to engage in and manage the mathematical demands of a range of situations in adult life" (Tout et al., 2021). The skills and knowledge needed for work and civic participation, and in more personal spheres of life, have changed. Individuals are presented with ever-increasing amounts of information of a quantitative or mathematical nature through online or technology-based resources, which have to be located, selected or filtered, interpreted, and at times questioned and doubted, and analysed for their relevance to the responses needed.
    
                            
    
                            
    
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      The first cycle of the Survey of Adult Skills measured problem solving in technology-rich environments. This is defined as the ability to use digital technology, communication tools and networks to acquire and evaluate information, communicate with others and perform practical tasks. The survey assessed adults' ability to solve problems by establishing appropriate goals and plans, and accessing and using information through computers and computer networks.


      
In the 2023 Survey of Adult Skills, problem solving in technology-rich environments was replaced by adaptive problem solving (APS). This involves "the capacity to achieve one’s goals in a dynamic situation in which a method for solution is not immediately available. It requires engaging in cognitive and metacognitive processes to define the problem, search for information, and apply a solution in a variety of information environments and contexts" (Greiff et al., 2021).


      
APS has three important features. First, it emphasises individuals’ capacity to flexibly and dynamically adapt their problem-solving strategies to a dynamically changing environment. Second, it tests their ability to identify and select among a range of available physical, social and digital resources. Third, individuals need to monitor and reflect on their progress in solving problems, through metacognitive processes.
    
                            
    
                            
    
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            Diagram of funding flows - Italy
            
    
            
    
        
    


        
		
    
            
    
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            Country Reviews for Italy
            
    
            
    
			
    
        
    
		
              
              
              
              
              
        
    
            Note: These values should be interpreted with care since they are influenced by countries' specific contexts and trade-offs. In education, there is often no simple
            most- or least-efficient model. For instance, the share of private expenditure in education must be read against other measures designed to mitigate inequities, 
			such as loans and grants; longer learning time is an opportunity to convey more and better content to students, but may hinder investments in other important
            areas. If you want further information on the nature of different variables, please take the time to read the analysis and contextual information, available at the website
            for each publication.
    
            All rankings for individual variables are compiled on the basis of OECD and G20 countries for which data are available. The OECD average includes only OECD countries which are listed here: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/members-partners.html
            

    
			Reference years displayed in the Education GPS correspond to the most common year of reference among countries for which data is available on each variable. Data for the latest available year is preferred and some 
			countries may have provided data refering to a more recent or late year. To know more about possible exceptions on data please click on the "Download Indicator" link on each variable. When a year of reference corresponds to a school year encompassing two years, the reference reads as follows: 2026 for school year 2025/2026.
			

    
	    *TALIS averages are based on all countries participating in the TALIS survey, including partner countries and economies. 
		This explains the difference between the OECD average and the TALIS averages.
		Data from the TALIS survey and Education at a Glance (EAG) may differ. See Annex E of the TALIS technical report and 
		Annex 3 
		of EAG 2024 for more details about the data collections.
            

    
            For additional notes, please refer to annexes in the list of links below the introductory country profile text.