The aim of this interdisciplinary research project is to analyse if European general educational and VET systems are subject by developments that lead to a convergence of systems. The objects of research are Finland and Switzerland, two countries that may be considered antipodes from the point of view of educational policy. The Finnish educational system is mainly centrally steered, while the Swiss educational system is federally organised. Furthermore, Finland belongs to the EU while Switzerland does not. Regarding vocational education and training, the two countries use different approaches: the Finnish system is school-based; Switzerland has a dual training system (alternance training). In this context the influence of supranational organisations (like the OECD) on national educational systems is also of importance.

The research project aims to question that the assumption that national educational systems are increasingly subject to converging developments and steering mechanism by a comparison of the Finnish and the Swiss educational systems. The comparative analysis at the macro-level of the educational system at the system level focuses on decisions in educational policy and on steering processes of school to work transitions. Accordingly, the educational systems will not be compared as a whole, but the research interest lies rather on the important intersection of the general educational system and the VET system. This approach will allow us to draw conclusions for the vocational educational system as well as for the general educational system.

The assumed convergence of nation-states in general and of educational systems in particular has encroached on different scientific discourses and is referred to with terms like world society approach, world polity theories, concept of globalisation, neo-liberal economics, neo-institutionalism and, especially for the European level, with the term Europeanisation. World society theory, which is prevalent and in past decades was influenced especially by John Meyer et al., identifies explanations why political, institutional and scientific developments or other expansions linking into a world society (Krücken/Dori 2009; synopsis of Meyers writings). Referring to Europe, in particular with the increasing significance of the European Union, convergence research, which analyse Europeanisation respectively changes, steadiness and harmonisation of national policies becomes more and more important (e.g. Drezner 2001; Knill 2005, 2006; Holzinger/Jörgens/Knill 2007; Jakobi/Teltemann 2009). The convergence of policies is in general defined as a “tendency of policies to grow more alike, in form of increasing similarity in structures, processes and performances” (Kerr 1983, p. 1). In conjunction with this subject there is the implicit assumption that globalisation leads to a convergence of traditionally national policies (Drezner 2001, p. 53). In the area of education, concepts and programs like the EU-wide implementation of bachelor and master degrees, European qualifications framework or ECTS indicate harmonisation developments. The comparative project is embedded in the theoretical framework of world society, Europeanisation and convergence research concepts and aims to questions the approaches concerning convergence of educational systems. 

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