The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is one of the key trend studies of IEA. Conducted every four years since 1995, it is designed to capture the breadth and richness of mathematics and science subjects as they are taught in the participating counties at grade 4 and 8. In addition to the mathematics and science assessments, the TIMSS school, teacher, student, home, and curriculum questionnaires gather extensive information about the contextual factors at school and home which are associated with learning and students' achievement. These include details on how the education system is organized to facilitate learning, students' home environment and supports for learning, school climate and resources, and how instruction usually occurs in classrooms. Releasing the international results (Mullis et al., 2020) is usually followed up by national reporting. The collected data are published in IEA’s Data Repository, accompanied by documentation (Martin et al., 2020 and Fishbein et al., 2021) and free-of-charge software to aid data users and researchers. Despite the well documented study resources and potential benefits of additional insights from the data, there is a relative scarcity of this type of research produced in lower-middle-income (Hernández-Torrano & Courtney, 2021). TIMSS 2019 happened to be the first IEA study where past constituents of the Former Republic of Yugoslavia met, together with Albania. The cooperation was extended by a collaborative book project (Japelj-Pavešič et al., 2022). The “Dinaric Perspectives on TIMSS 2019” report brought together national experts from across the Dinaric region to rigorously review IEA’s TIMSS 2019 grade four data to develop a multidimensional and culturally sensitive perspective on their TIMSS 2019 primary-level results. Authors and co-authors were supported by IEA’s Research and Analysis team, who translated research questions into an analysis plan, conducted (most) statistical analyses, and prepared interpretation of the statistical parameters. Results were then discussed by all authors, taking the regional context into account. This was the first report benefiting from analytical support of IEA’s Research and Analysis team in IEA Hamburg creating the opportunity to address specific research questions relevant to their regional contexts. However, it is more than the contents of each chapter that makes this new publication unique. Therefore, the session aims to reflect on the process of creating this regional report, the key findings for the region, benefits for the regional co-authors, and lessons learned for future collaborative projects re-using IEA data.

Fishbein, B., Foy, P., & Yin, L. (2021). TIMSS 2019 User Guide for the International Database (2nd ed.). Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center website: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/international-database/ Hernández-Torrano & Courtney, M.G.R. (2021). Modern international large‑scale assessment in education: an integrative review and mapping of the literature in Large-scale Assessments in Education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-021-00109-1 Japelj-Pavešič, B., Koršňáková, P., & Meinck, S. (2022). Dinaric Perspectives on TIMSS 2019. Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science in South-Eastern Europe. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85802-5 Martin, M. O., von Davier, M., & Mullis, I. V. S. (Eds.). (2020). Methods and Procedures: TIMSS 2019 Technical Report. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center website: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/methods Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., Kelly, D. L., & Fishbein, B. (2020). TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center website: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/international-results/