Norwegian Research School for Early Childhood Education (NORCHILD)

Project summary

In recent decades, one of the fundamental problems that has beset the domain of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is deficient doctoral training. In fact, research findings documenting the discontent within this area abound (Gradowski, 2020). A recent research evaluation of The National Research School for Teacher Education (NAFOL) (Schwach, et. al., 2021) clearly indicated that candidates studying ECEC [barnehage] missed a deeper focus on their field of research, as schooling and teaching older children were NAFOL’s main references. As a direct response to this host of challenges, NORDCHILD pursues the provision of a world-class PhD training programme within early childhood research, thereby enhancing the quality of PhD education in the area of early childhood teacher education (TED) and ECEC work life sector and establishing transferable skills that link ECEC more directly with work life. NORDCHILD is committed to providing future ECEC leaders with transferable skills that will boost the quality of the ECEC sector. In addition, NORCHILD will create a debate hub about Nordic ECEC, traditions and transformations. It will encourage the development of dispositions that promote education for sustainability in the ECEC work life sector, moving towards a co-creative and negotiating research paradigm. This way, NORCHILD will elevate the quality and relevance of Norwegian doctoral education through renewal and quality development, as well as high-quality and relevant professional training, by supplementing traditional PhD training with extra teaching and learning resources (courses, workshops, fieldwork, research methods, grant-writing courses for research funding) and other transferable skills tailored to the needs of PhD candidates. NORCHILD will also offer courses that explain new methods and approaches developed with the aim of contributing to increased interaction between the academia and other societal actors through research training. NORCHILD will constitute an active network of supervisors, mentors and researchers in TED research communities, as well as key personnel in Norwegian municipalities through The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS). Overall, NORCHILD’s vision is to reimagine and deliver a systemic approach to ECEC following the Nordic model of ECEC, paying special attention to global sustainability challenges. NORCHILD will serve as a supplement to its partner institutions’ own doctoral programmes, and candidates who are affiliated with the graduate school will complete their doctoral degrees at their own educational institutions