The Pisa study has been evaluating the performance of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and the sciences across 81 OECD countries for 26 years. In the 2023 results, Germany saw its performance hit an all-time low, prompting educators and observers to reassess what top-performing nations are doing differently. Alexander Brand, a teacher, delved into this topic by visiting schools in countries noted for their educational excellence, including Finland, Estonia, Japan, and Singapore, and documenting his findings in a book titled "Die Bildungsweltmeister." In an interview, Brand discusses the importance of raising expectations for students and explores the cultural differences in educational approaches. His observations suggest that these successful countries often emphasize a balance of rigor and support, emphasizing that excessive leniency might hinder student achievement. By analyzing the pedagogical strategies in these leading educational systems, Brand aims to identify actionable insights that could help Germany improve its standing in future Pisa evaluations. The context of these discussions is critical, as the education system plays a vital role in shaping a nation’s future workforce and innovation capacity. As countries globally vie for educational supremacy, Germany’s declining performance calls for an urgent reevaluation of its educational policies and practices. Brand’s findings may inspire policymakers in Germany to forge new paths and adopt best practices from international counterparts in order to elevate the standards and outcomes of their educational system.