This symposium studies experiences of cross-sectoral cooperation to develop mentoring in the Nordic countries. The network started as a joint project between universities and teacher educators but was expanded to include teacher unions. The network brings together researchers, teacher educators and teacher union representatives from the Nordics (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). We start with the historical perspective from early 2000’s and move to today, and our latest project Promoting Professional Development (PPD). The network roots back to 2004 when the Newly Qualified Teachers in Northern Europe network was established, consisting of researchers of mentoring from all these countries. In 2017, the network was joined by teacher union representatives from the aforementioned countries, thus becoming more cross-sectoral and deliberately taking a more visible role in policy making in terms of teachers’ professional development. Since 2017, the network has implemented three collaboration projects funded by Nordplus. The network has published a book applying the theory of ecologies of practices to the study of induction and mentoring (Bjerkholt, Olsen & Heikkinen 2020). The present collaborative project NTI-PPD aims at investigating how the practices of teacher induction and mentoring of new teachers are prefigured (enabled/constrained) in the Nordic countries and Estonia as part of continuous professional development. Through our collaboration, we wish to contribute developing practices of mentoring and induction through analyses of existing practices and research-based knowledge. The collaboration between different partners in the wider education community will create a deeper understanding and contribute to a greater diversity, which in turn provides new knowledge and approaches in the educational continuum. Another aim is to strengthen the Nordic and Baltic voice in international policymaking and public discourse related to induction and mentoring, and this collaboration between researchers and teacher unions will enable discussions that focus on research as well as experience-based knowledge on how to establish sustainable systems, highlighting diversity and tensions in our different practices and experiences. One of the goals is to share the experiences and research through different channels in our respective networks, and thus contribute to the public discussion on relevant topics such as professional development as a continuum from teacher education into the profession, sustainable comprehensive induction and mentoring for NQTs, and possibilities to stop the attrition rate of NQTs leaving the profession. The network has also taken an active role in developing a European dimension of mentoring and induction research.

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