Austria continues to perform above the OECD average in the latest PISA study, but the results also reveal growing concerns about students’ reading and mathematics skills. While Austrian students have improved in science, their performance in reading and mathematics has declined compared with previous assessments.
Around 7,000 Austrian students aged 15 and 16 took part in the 2025 assessment, which examined performance in 91 countries and economies. Austria achieved 467 points in reading and 477 points in mathematics, both above the OECD averages. However, reading performance has continued to fall, reflecting a wider international decline. Students are not only struggling to understand texts but are also finding it increasingly difficult to evaluate information, compare different sources, and think critically about what they read.
Mathematics results have also dropped by ten points compared with 2022. Science, however, provides a more positive picture, with Austrian students improving their performance. The gender gap in science has also narrowed considerably, although significant differences remain in reading and mathematics.
The study highlights another important issue: students’ social and family backgrounds still strongly influence their educational performance. In Austria, students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with a migration background generally achieve lower results than their peers. This shows that educational inequality remains a major challenge.
The 2025 assessment also examined how young people use digital technology and artificial intelligence for learning. Almost half of students in OECD countries use AI chatbots as a learning tool at least once a week. The results suggest, however, that the way AI is used matters. Students who use it to support their own learning and develop digital skills tend to benefit more than those who mainly rely on it to produce summaries or drafts.
Austria’s PISA results therefore present a mixed picture. The country remains above the OECD average, and its improved science performance is encouraging. At the same time, the decline in reading and mathematics shows that more needs to be done to strengthen basic skills and reduce the influence of social background on educational success. As technology and artificial intelligence become increasingly important in everyday life, the ability to read critically, solve problems, and think independently will remain essential.
The results of the new 2025 PISA study have sparked mixed reactions in Austria. While the country has made gains in science, the alarming downward trends in math and reading continue. Interest groups such as the Chamber of Labor (AK), the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ), and the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) are now calling for a rapid shift in educational policy.
AK Sounds the Alarm: “Parents Shouldn’t Have to Fix the System”
Ilkim Erdost, Head of Education at the Vienna Chamber of Labor, sharply criticizes the ongoing imbalance: “We cannot expect parents to fix the education system in the evenings using their own money. That is antisocial and exacerbates educational inequality.” According to the latest AK Tutoring Barometer, one-third of students already receive paid tutoring.
The AK is therefore calling for an expansion of the so-called “opportunity bonus” for schools facing particular challenges, mandatory individualized support starting in elementary school, and a scientific evaluation of the widespread use of school laptops and tablets to assess children’s concentration and reading skills.
WKÖ and IV Call for Rapid Introduction of Compulsory Education
The business community is also speaking out clearly. Melina Schneider-Lugger, an education expert at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, emphasizes that companies cannot compensate for deficits resulting from nine years of schooling. “Anyone who wants to start an apprenticeship or other vocational training must have a solid grasp of basic skills,” says Schneider-Lugger. In addition to the rapid implementation of a genuine compulsory education system (or education guarantee), the WKÖ is also calling for a mandatory second year of kindergarten with targeted language and learning support.
Christoph Neumayer, Secretary General of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), also highlights the enormous importance of STEM subjects for Austria as a business location: “STEM competencies have long been key to a region’s competitiveness: They determine whether Austria will be able to develop and produce in the future in the areas of digitalization, artificial intelligence, the energy transition, and new technologies.” To halt the downward trend in mathematics, the IV also advocates for a mandatory education requirement as well as STEM support that begins as early as kindergarten.