Under Pressure: Literacy in Higher Education

Literacy is an essential part of studying and is closely linked to strong academic performance. Despite its relevance, literacy in the higher-education context is rarely studied—especially in light of the fact that instructors frequently report a decline in students’ literacy skills. As part of the “Under Pressure” project, we therefore investigate students’ literacy based on data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC 2012 and 2023). We examine students from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

A particular focus of our subproject is the literacy of first-generation students (students whose parents do not hold a university degree). This aspect is explored from three different angles. From the first perspective, we look at differences in literacy between first-generation and continuing-generation students (students whose parents have a university degree). While it is known that parents’ educational background generally affects literacy, we currently know far less about whether these differences also appear among university students. With the second perspective, we examine how literacy and parents’ educational background influence life satisfaction. Finally, we look at people with high literacy and their decisions regarding study choices. Specifically, we investigate the extent to which parents’ educational background affects whether people with high literacy begin and/or complete higher education.