Consisting of academic researchers of teacher education and mentoring in education and teacher Union representatives from Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the network aims to collaboratively and comparatively investigate how teachers are supported at the beginning of their careers, i.e. when entering schools after completion of a teacher education program. Through this collaboration, NTI has contributed to developing understandings (NTI, 2024) and practices of mentoring and induction through analyses of existing practices and research-based knowledge to foster discussions that draw on research and experience-based knowledge on how to establish sustainable systems In our initial comparative work we noted that while there are many differences in teacher education programs, and the induction and mentoring initiatives for newly qualified teachers, there are many similarities. This led us to ask how can these similarities be, at least in part, explained by the Nordic welfare state model? The Nordic welfare state model is characterized by, as the name suggests, an extensive welfare state aimed at ensuring a high level of social security and equality for all citizens. At the core of the model are its universal benefits, that ensure social services such as education, healthcare, and pensions are provided by the state to all citizens regardless of income or social status. Education is seen as a crucial factor for both individual and societal economic success and so great importance is placed on offering high-quality, accessible, and often free education at all levels—from preschool to higher education. This provision of free comprehensive education in the Nordic countries is unanimous and uncontested in the region (Volmari et al., 2022). Another important aspect of the welfare model is the Nordic labour market policy, which is distinguished by its blend of flexibility, security, and cooperation, known as "flexicurity" (Viebrock & Clasen, 2009). Key features include high rates of union membership, collective agreements, active labour market policies, flexicurity and an emphasis on work-life balance to promote gender equality. These elements make the Nordic labour market highly adaptive, equitable, and supportive of both economic development and worker welfare. The NTI network works at the intersection of two aspects of the Nordic welfare model: education and labour. The cross sectoral nature of NTI means that the network has taken on a visible role in advocating for teachers’ professional development as well as smoothing the transition for new teachers entering the teaching workforce.

NTI. (2024). Nordic Teacher Induction: Promoting Professional Development (NTI-PPD) Symposium. Nordic Educational Research Association Conference, Malmö. Viebrock, E., & Clasen, J. (2009). Flexicurity and welfare reform: a review. Socio-Economic Review, 7(2), 305-331. Volmari, S., Sivesind, K., & Jónasson, J. T. (2022). Regional Policy Spaces, Knowledge Networks, and the “Nordic Other”. In B. Karseth, K. Sivesind, & G. Steiner-Khamsi (Eds.), Evidence and Expertise in Nordic Education Policy: A Comparative Network Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan Cham. 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.