The Nordic Council of Ministers for Education and Research (MR-U) has made the role of education in social equality a priority in recent years. It has focused on the challenges ahead, including the growing inequality apparent in society in general and in education and learning in particular.
At their meeting in Trondheim 2022 under the auspices of the Norwegian Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers (MR-U 01/22), the education ministers discussed the importance of early investment and intervention to improve social equity in Nordic societies. Several research projects have been conducted in this field, such as work by the Centre of Excellence Just Ed, Justice through Education 2013–2018 as a part of the NordForsk research programme Education for Tomorrow.
In continuation of this ministerial discussion, the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Education and Research (EK-U) set up an ad hoc working group tasked with examining more specifically the area of early childhood education and care (ECEC) and to compile evidence of ECEC´s broader social impact and proof of the return on investment from it.
Senior adviser Björk Óttarsdóttir from the Icelandic Ministry of Education and Children has chaired the group. The other members included senior advisers Liv Holmgaard Nørrelykke (7.3–30.4.2023), Nikolaj Thøger Sørensen (1.5–31.12.2023) and Marie Lund Hansen (27.6–31.12.2023) from the Danish Ministry of Children and Education, associate professor Miriam Wüst from University of Copenhagen, senior ministerial adviser Tarja Kahiluoto from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, Professor Jani Erola from University of Turku, senior adviser Ole Myrnes and senior policy adviser Tove Mogstad-Slinde from the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, senior adviser Hrafnkell Hjörleifsson from the Icelandic Ministry of Children and Education, senior adviser Tove Mejer from the Swedish Ministry of Education, Professor Ann-Zofie Duvander from Stockholm University and Mid University Sweden, special advisor Mathias Møller Jespersen from the Government of Greenland, senior adviser Emilia Walk-Johansson from the Government of Åland, adviser Høgni Warberg from the Ministry of Children and Education of the Faroe Islands and economist Heri á Rógvi from the Faroe islands. Senior adviser Sini Keinonen and student co-worker Rebecka Skogberg from the Nordic Council of Ministers acted as the group secretariat. The group has held nine online meetings and one in person. It also hosted an expert seminar in Reykjavik on 3 October 2023.