This study examines the reference societies of Norway and Sweden embedded in their education policy documents. We examined 4,260 bibliographic references in 19 white papers and green papers prepared for the 2016/2020 renewal of the Knowledge Promotion Reform in Norway and the 2015/2018 Knowledge Achievement Reform in Sweden. In addition, we…

The terminology of "Chinese characteristics" (zhongguo tese) is ubiquitous in China's political language, but its precise definition remains elusive. This study focuses specifically on the mobilising of the idea of Chinese characteristics of China's science evaluation programme: the China Discipline Evaluation (CDE). Implemented as an…

This is a conceptual paper that examines the emergence of the 'therapeutic university' and considers its potential implications for policy and practice in Higher Education (HE). Concern over the well-being and mental health of university students both in the United Kingdom (UK) and internationally has recently intensified in media, academic and…

This article analyses the changes in education legislation and the history curriculum in Spain over recent decades. To this end, the characteristics established for the teaching of history in the last two education laws, passed in 2013 and 2020 -- the first by a conservative government and the second by a progressive one -- are studied and…

This review is in response to numerous research, studies and other reviews that present the under-addressed, longstanding need to rethink vocational education and training delivered to secondary students (VETdSS) in Australia and in similar jurisdictions. Further, it is unclear how secondary schools in Western Australia are navigating the…

This article reports on teachers' experience of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis is based on a thematic analysis of group interviews with 76 teachers working throughout the Swedish school system, i.e., preschools, primary, secondary school, and municipal adult education. The interviews were conducted during autumn 2021.…

The question of knowledge versus competency in contemporary curricula is controversial. In this article we endeavour to show that the controversy has much to do with the way society is conceptualized as either a class differentiated or a function differentiated society. We examine Michael Young's input to the curriculum debate concerning the…

This paper offers a comparative analysis of internationalization policy between two distinct nations entrenched in unique sociopolitical and economic cultures, namely Japan and the United States of America (U.S.A.). How do different policymaking processes impact internationalization policy in practice? While Japan's internationalization policy is…

Educational and training institutions that ensure successful learning and diverse working life must implement problem-oriented analyses of the education system and form future self-education and positive activity skills of the individual. The article deals with historical trends in the development of educational institutions such as lyceums and…

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of teacher education in Poland from 1970 to 2024, detailing socio-political and economic changes that have shaped educational policies. The study uses a historical and policy analysis approach, examining legislative documents, policy developments, and educational outcomes across…

This paper addresses the intersection of testing and policy, situating test-driven impact and validation within the context of policy-led educational reform in Korea. I will briefly review the existing validation models. Then, arguing for an expansion of the conventional conceptualization of consequential validity research, I use Fairclough's…

The article addresses the issues surrounding the importance and impact of 'hinterlands' in the construction of European higher education systems and in the formation of sectoral policy. It draws on studies of Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom to illustrate different policy approaches and shows how in some countries…

By following the qualitative evidence synthesis, this article reports on how education policy is made in Sudan by considering the contextual, socio-economical background of Sudanese education in the pre post-colonial era. Out of 39 published and unpublished documents, 33 documents were synthesized to answer these research questions: (1) who is…

Each state needs to fathom its context in order to shape the future of its education. Education does not exist by itself and is inevitably affected by the political, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions of the country. Therefore, the patchwork of experienced cultural heritage is deeply embedded in the human subconscious and can paint some, or…

This dissertation investigates the historical and socio-cultural dynamics of Korean international students in American higher education from 1945 to 2020. It explores the local motivations and global trajectories that have shaped patterns of student mobility over the decades, focusing on how social structures and changes influence individual and…