NoRNet Conference 2027 – Equity in Transition, 21-22 October 2027

The 2027 conference marks an important milestone for NoRNet. Ten years have passed since the network organized its first international conference, which was hosted by Stockholm University in 2017. As the conference returns to Stockholm for its sixth edition, we welcome participants to reflect on a decade of research, collaboration and knowledge development in the fields of career guidance, educational transitions and social inclusion.

Equity in Transition: Why now?

Educational systems, labour markets and societies are undergoing profound change. Technological developments, demographic shifts, migration, economic uncertainty and evolving patterns of participation in education and work are reshaping the conditions under which individuals make and experience transitions throughout life.

At the same time, opportunities to navigate educational and career pathways remain unevenly distributed. Social, economic and cultural inequalities continue to influence who benefits from education, guidance and employment opportunities, and who encounters barriers along the way.

Against this backdrop, the conference theme, Equity in Transition: Policy and Practice for Inclusive Educational and Career Pathways, invites critical discussion of how policy and practice can contribute to equitable and inclusive transitions across the life course. Particular attention will be paid to the role of guidance and support structures in creating opportunities for individuals and groups who have historically faced disadvantage or exclusion.

Building bridges across research, policy and practice

The ambition of the conference is to foster dialogue across disciplinary, thematic, theoretical and methodological boundaries within research on career guidance and transitions. By bringing together scholars, practitioners and policymakers, we aim to strengthen understandings of how equitable educational and career pathways can be supported in diverse national and institutional contexts.

The conference provides a forum for sharing new research, developing collaborations and exploring how evidence, policy and practice can work together to address contemporary challenges and opportunities in guidance and transitions.

Conference Themes

Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Evidence-informed policy for guidance and transitions
• Equity and social justice in educational and career pathways
• Guidance as a tool for widening participation and inclusion
• The role of practitioners in implementing policy
• Lifelong guidance and changing labour markets
• Guidance for vulnerable and underrepresented groups
• Evaluating the impact of guidance policies and interventions
• Nordic perspectives on equality, welfare and transitions
  

Join Us in Stockholm

As NoRNet returns to the city that hosted its first international conference, we invite colleagues from across the Nordic region and beyond to join us in Stockholm. Together, we will explore how research, policy and practice can contribute to more inclusive educational and career pathways and to transitions that promote participation, opportunity and social justice for all.

We look forward to welcoming you to Stockholm in October 2027.