The NTI network started as a joint project between universities and teacher educators but was expanded to include teacher unions in 2017. The network brings together researchers, teacher educators and teacher union representatives from the Nordics (Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, 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. 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 (2023-2025) has investigated 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 this collaboration, we continue to contribute developing practices of mentoring and induction through analyses of existing practices and research-based knowledge. The collaboration aims 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, going into the future. We will continue 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 takes an active role in developing a European dimension of mentoring and induction research for the future of school education.

Fransson, G. & Gustavsson, C. (Eds.) 2008. Newly Qualified Teachers in Northern Europe: Comparative Perspectives on Promoting Professional Development. University of Gävle. Helms-Lorenz, M., Heikkinen, H. L. T., Plauborg, H. & Bjerkholt, E. (Eds.) (2025) Making Sense of European Teacher Induction and Mentoring Practices. Brill. Olsen, K.-R., Bjerkholt, E. & Heikkinen, H. L. T. (Eds.) 2020. New Teachers in Nordic Countries: Ecologies of Induction and Mentoring. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. Windsor, S., Bjerkholt, E. M., Brokke, T. H., Bonde, Å., Båvner, P., Börjesson, M., Frederiksen, L. L., Halse, E., Hauksdottir, J., Havre, S. H., Heikkinen, H. L. T., Lyhykäinen, P., Poom-Vlickis, K., & Svanbjörnsdottir, B. (2025). Mentoring new teachers in the Nordics. In M. Helms-Lorenz, H. L. T. Heikkinen, H. Plauborg, & E. Bjerkholt (Eds.) Making Sense of European Teacher Induction and Mentoring Practices. Brill.