Expert group on quality in education and training

Timeline

2021Completed

ID number

41534

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

Since 2017, Statistics Norway and the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training have published school contribution indicators for primary and upper secondary schools. The learners' family background and previous results explain much of the difference in the learners' learning achievements. The school contribution indicators give an overview of the school's contribution to learning.

Compared to other countries, there are relatively small social differences related to learning outcomes in Norway. At the same time, there is a systematic connection in Norway between social background and school results, student grades. School is the most important tool for giving all children, regardless of background, opportunities to live an independent life. An inclusive school, with high quality teaching, is crucial for preserving small differences in Norwegian society. It is therefore important to ensure that any negative impact of student backgrounds on school results is as small as possible in the future.

Objectives

Goals and objectives of the policy development.

The objective is to define measures to reduce the impact the learner's gender, background and previous school results may have for future benefits of education.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

The Ministry of Education and Research established an expert group to investigate how schools may raise education quality. The expert group has to suggest measures to reduce the impact that the learner's gender, social background and previous learning outcomes may have for the benefits of education. The expert group is to explore how school owners and schools can better conduct a systematic quality development approach to increase the education quality, reaching better learning results.

The work is to be conducted in two parts: the first part consist of creating a knowledge base, and the second is a dialogue with school owners, school leaders and teachers, to receive input for the future measures. The expert group has to describe and estimate the financial, administrative and legal consequences of the suggested measures. The expert group has also to propose measures that can be implemented without additional financial costs.

2021

Completed

The expert group report was published on 4 May 2021 and provided recommendations for the national government, school owners and school leaders. The Ministry of Education and Research received valuable information for future improvements in education quality, both in general and vocational education.The recommendations are measures to reduce the impact that the learner's gender, social background and previous learning outcomes can have on the benefits of education.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.

Ministry of Education and Research (KD)

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Learners

Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices

Entities providing VET

VET providers (all kinds)

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation

Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.

This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.

This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.

Ensuring equal opportunities and inclusiveness in education and training

This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.

IVET

Country

Norway

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.

Practical measure/Initiative

Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Expert group on quality in education and training: Norway. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/41534

Timeline of VET policies in Europe