Exploring Urban Factors Influencing Academic Achievement: An International Comparative Study

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of urbanization on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) academic performance and conducts comparisons among different countries. Rather than focusing only on school-based variables, it examines whether broader urban and well-being conditions help explain cross-national differences in student achievement. Various dimensions of urbanization, including economic, social, and educational outcomes, are examined. This quantitative study employs a correlational design. Utilizing methodologies such as stepwise regression analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and discriminant function analysis, this research sheds light on the complex relationship between urbanization and education, providing valuable insights for future research endeavors. Using OECD Better Life Index data, the study identifies the most salient predictors, groups countries according to shared patterns, and distinguishes between relatively higher- and lower-performing contexts. The study covers 37 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. The study empirically demonstrates that indicators such as rooms per person, homicide rate, years in education, long-term unemployment, and life satisfaction significantly correlate with PISA academic performance. These results also reveal distinct country clusters associated with different combinations of urban advantages and disadvantages. The findings suggest that urbanization should be understood not simply as population concentration, but as a multidimensional process shaped by housing quality, safety, educational participation, labour market conditions, and subjective well-being..