ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the OECD’s move to assess the ‘global competence’ (GC) of students through PISA, focusing on (i) shifting rationales, (ii) conceptions of GC over time, (iii) the groups involved in defining GC, and (iv) issues relating to the measurement itself. The chapter argues that the rationale and nature of the OECD’s measurement has been superficially influenced by the organisation’s attempt to position itself as the primary agency responsible for tracking progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Despite this realignment of values, the analysis suggests that the OECD’s measurement remains focused on its vision of fostering individuals that can compete in a global economy, a vision at odds with the UN’s conception of global citizenship. This is related in part to the organisation’s core mission and the groups involved in constructing the measurement. With the potential to be positioned as a yardstick for internationalisation in schools and societies, we argue that the OECD’s measurement may further contribute to the process of making and legitimating global elites.
