Education for Tomorrow NordForsk Kick-off Conference 17-18 June 2013 in Oslo

1. Education for Tomorrow NordForsk Kick-off Conference 17-18 June 2013 in Oslo The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries Nordforsk research project (2013-16) on transitions from VET to the labour market and to Higher Education in the Nordic countries. Finland: JyväskyläUniversity Norway: Bergen University, NIFU, FAFO Sweden: Linköping University Denmark: Roskilde University The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

2. Comparative research in four Nordic Countries • How do the VET-systems handle the double challenge of • qualifying for employment in an occupation and • providing access to higher education? • Dilemma for VET at the same time to: • Be inclusive for weak learners and • Maintain high esteem among young people and • Be attractive for business (training placements) and • Promote citizenship, equality and social justice. The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

3. The Nordic Countries – a living experiment in VET • Nordic countries share: • universalist welfare states • egalitarian policies in education • consensual labour market models • But have developeddiverging models of VET • Vocational programs in comprehensive non-selective higher secondary education (Sweden: Gymnasieskolan) • Modernised apprenticeship (Dual system) based on workplace training in specific occupations (Denmark) • Mixed models: Norway 2+2, Finland: twotracks The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

4. Diverging models of VET in the Nordic Countries • Advantages of full time school based systems (SE, FI) • Postpones division in tracks and streams • Provides equal access – independent of training places • Promotes citizenship and equity • Provides general access to higher education • Weaknesses of full time school based systems (SE, FI) • Provides weak links with the labour market • - and difficult transitions to employment • Few opportunities for non-academic youth • Higheryouthunemployment The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

5. Diverging models of VET in the Nordic Countries • Advantages of apprenticeship models (DK, NO) • Provides alternative pathways for non-academic youth • Have strong links with the labour market • High employment rates - low youth unemployment • Weaknesses of apprenticeship models (DK, NO) • Early division in tracks reinforce social and gender segregation • Completion depends on available training places • Don’t give access to higher education • Decreasing esteem – appear as ‘dead end’. The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

6. Research questions: • How did these dilemmas emerge: the institutional architectures and trajectories. • What are the current conditions in each VET-system? • What are the results of recent reforms to cope with these dilemmas? • What strengths and weaknesses of the systems can be found through case studies in selected occupations? • What can be learned from the Nordic countries to develop vocational education for tomorrow? The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

7. Stages in the project: • Institutional architecture in the four countries • Transition patterns from VET to HE and labour market • Policies to improve transitions – reforms and results • Contextualised case studies in two occupations • Comparison of the qualities of the four VET systems including innovations to handle the dilemmas • – and exploration of the opportunities for learning The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

8. Illustration of research question: Transitions in Denmark Labour market Master Bachelor Short Higher education 9 % have double qualifications 33% HE enrolment doubled from 24% in 1980 VET: a blind alley on the road to higher education? 53% Only 5% enter HE from VET General education: Gymnasium ‘classic’ │ vocational Gymnasium Gymnasiums Dual system of vocational education 12 main entrances 109 programmes Early tracking Basic school 9 – 10. grade Final rates of completion 25 years after leaving basic school Percentages of a youth cohort in 2006 Source UNI-C 2008 Percentages: Shares of a youth cohort The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

9. VET The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

10. An increasing share attains qualifications that give access to higher education VET The relative status of VET decreases: - a ’blind alley’ The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

11. Innovation: a new hybrid programme in the Danish educational system Labour market Master Bachelor Short Higher education 53% 33% General education: Gymnasium ‘classic’ │ vocational Gymnasium Gymnasiums E u x Vocational education: dual system 12 main entrances 109 programmes Basic school 9 – 10. grade Final rates of completion 25 years after leaving basic school Percentages of a youth cohort in 2006 hybrid qualifications Source UNI-C 2008 The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries

12. The outcomes and publications planned • Two comparative research reports to be published on the projects homepage. • Report on the status of the challenges and the policy reforms to manage them. • Report on the results of the empirical comparative exploration of two occupations in each country. • Two papers to be submitted to for international scientific journals with content that is similar to the two reports. • In each country we will publish at least one article in the national language in a journal of educational research a total of four articles. • A common book in English (or a special issue of a peer reviewed Nordic journal) will summarise the results and relate them to current international VET research. • A Nordic conference to disseminate findings to policymakers and stakeholders. The future of VET - learning from the Nordic countries