Multilevel Latent Profile Analysis of Global Competence in PISA 2018: Small Country-Level Differences

We examined the global competence of 15-year-old students based on PISA 2018 data (N = 355,579 from 57 countries). Our multilevel latent profile analysis identified two groups at both individual and country levels, resulting in a total of four groups (2 x 2; “competent” and “less competent”). While individual-level differences were pronounced and consistent across all seven global competence indicators, the country-level differences were small overall, with only “attitude towards immigrants” and “respect for people from other cultures” showing somewhat salient group differences. There were more globally “less competent” students in 52 of 57 countries, suggesting the needs to improve students’ global competence in virtually all participating countries. Global competence was related to family socioeconomic status, academic achievement, and countries’ standing on the conservatism/liberalism dimension. We considered different ways to enhance global competence among students and society as a whole.