Norwegian Research School for Early Childhood Education (NORCHILD)

As a response to the challenge of improving quality and fostering continuous professional development in the kindergarten sector, NORBARN offers a Ph. D.-level training program in kindergarten-relevant research. In this way, NORBARN contributes to enhancing the quality of doctoral education, kindergarten teacher education (BLU), and professional life in kindergartens. The research school offers a range of activities that more directly link kindergarten research to society and the workplace. The goal is to provide future researchers with a rich toolbox when working to improve quality in the kindergarten sector. Candidates who defend their dissertations in kindergarten research should be equipped to lead in professional life, education, or research. They have access to courses that make research methodology and various relevant academic topics more current and expansive. NORBARN creates a center for debate and dialogue about the Nordic kindergarten. The research school encourages the development of actions and behaviours that promote education for sustainability in kindergartens and contributes to strengthening a co-creative and negotiation-oriented research paradigm. We invite Norwegian and international actors from the kindergarten sector, academia, and various organisations to dialogue. Thus, the research school functions as a dialogue centre. Through renewal and quality development, NORBARN will enhance the quality and relevance of Norwegian doctoral education. The professional training will supplement traditional PhD training with additional teaching and learning resources and strengthen networks between partner institutions. NORBARN trains transferable skills adapted to the needs of PhD candidates. The research school offers elective courses with credits and smaller courses with diplomas. Additionally, candidates can take the initiative to raise current topics and develop the course portfolio. The research school also organises webinars and PhD days and collaborates on a summer school. In 2023 and 2024, the research school has been involved in developing courses in DocTalent4EU, a project with the same objectives as the research school; to enhance transferable skills. In this way, the research school contributes its academic resources internationally, and brings back lessons and experiences. NORBARN constitutes an active network of supervisors, mentors, researchers in research environments, and key personnel in Norwegian municipalities through the municipal sector organization (KS) and the Kanvas Foundation. The research school will be able to accept at least 70 candidates in the period 2023-2031. In 2024, the research school had 29 candidates.

As a response to a host of challenges of enhancing the quality and continuous professional development in the sector of Early Childhood Education & Care (ECEC), 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. It will encourage the development of dispositions that promote education for sustainability in the ECEC 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 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 constitutes 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) and Kanvas Foundation. At the very least, the school will enrol 70 candidates. The estimates of the number of PhD candidates are 70. NORCHILD will provide core courses, each granting 5 ECTS points, elective mini-courses, each granting a maximum of 3 ECTS points and courses on demand (Transferable Skills), each granting a maximum of 3 ECTS points.