Integrating academic and vocational learning is one of the challenges in vocational education (Mordhorst & Jenert, 2023). From an educational perspective, specialized scientific knowledge that culminates in an occupation, subject, or discipline is inadequate for an individual's orientation in the world's complexity (Gustavsson, 2000). The potential of interdisciplinary teaching is to cultivate connections between various fields of knowledge, thereby providing students with the necessary competencies for personal and professional growth (Mansurjonovich & Davronovich, 2023).

When examining the evolution of the content and organization of vocational upper secondary education in Europe (e.g., in Finland and Sweden; see Nylund & Virolainen, 2019), a "pendulum effect" is evident: there are periods of heightened emphasis on general subjects and a lengthening of the curriculum, as well as reversal trends of shortened study durations, mainly through the reduction of the proportion of general studies. In 2013, Estonian upper secondary vocational education curricula were reformed, cutting the study period from four to three years. The curriculum's general studies modules were reduced, resulting in a 180-credit-point curriculum with 30 credit points dedicated to general studies and another 30 credit points for key competency development integrated into vocational study modules corresponding to the vocational profile (Standard of Vocational Education, 2013).

It is now evident that vocational secondary education in such a form failed to adequately promote the development of learners' general and key competencies (Ministry of Education and Research, n.d.), and the current reform is reversing the trend toward four-year vocational upper secondary curricula and again increasing the amount of general studies. Nonetheless, the factors contributing to the challenges faced by Estonian vocational upper secondary education in fostering the development of students' generic competencies remain ambiguous.

School leaders and teachers play critical yet distinct roles in implementing educational reforms. School administrators can get their institutions ready for educational change by creating a climate that is conducive to reform (e.g., shared vision, high expectations, positive relationships), planning thoroughly, preparing for implementation, and increasing capacity (e.g., ensuring understanding of the reform) (Aldridge & McLure, 2024). Moreover, particularly for interdisciplinary and integrative teaching, fostering a culture of collaboration among educators is essential (Gryson et al., 2024). Adjusting to the new curriculum concept can create tensions among teachers (Vähasantanen & Eteläpelto, 2011), and research suggests that teachers in VET may require additional training to effectively deliver general education content, and the reverse is also true (Aarkrog, 2019). Interdisciplinary pedagogical content knowledge is needed (Feng & Höltta-Otto, 2022), and dual competency requirements may be a significant impediment (Aarkrog, 2019). Teachers need assistance comprehending the reform in practice and identifying actionable steps for its implementation at the classroom level (McLure & Aldridge, 2023). For effective curriculum implementation, teacher agency plays a crucial role, as their professional knowledge, skills, beliefs, and attitudes influence their ability to execute the curriculum in practice (Alvunger et al., 2021). Teachers are the facilitators of curriculum policy, even in the most prescriptive and "teacher-resistant" policy frameworks (Priestley et al., 2023).

Considering the pivotal roles of school leaders and teachers in executing the curriculum reform, we sought to gather their perspectives on its implementation. Specifically, we aimed to address the following research question: What are the perceptions of teachers and school leaders regarding the integration of general and vocational subjects in vocational upper secondary curricula following the recent reform in Estonia? 

The study was designed using a qualitative approach. We contacted all VET school leaders by using the contact list found on the vocational schools' websites to invite them to participate in the study. In addition, at least two teachers from each VET school were invited to participate in the study. The sample was required to include teachers of both general studies and vocational subjects. The final sample consisted of 14 school leaders and 30 teachers. Data was collected through focus group interviews, a method that facilitates the gathering of diverse perspectives from participants with varying experiences and backgrounds in a relatively short timeframe (Krueger & Casey, 2009). This approach not only encouraged participants to share their experiences but also enabled them to build upon each other's ideas. The interview plan included questions about the broader experience of implementing the reform; however, for the purpose of this study, we will focus solely on aspects related to the implementation of integration. Participants were asked to describe their experiences of implementing integrated teaching in their institutions and the challenges they have faced. In addition, they were asked to give examples about their own practice. The average length of a focus group interview was 1.5 hours. The purpose of the study, confidentiality conditions, and the use and storage of the data were all clarified to the participants prior to the interview. Participants were also asked to provide informed consent to participate in the study. Data were analyzed using qualitative inductive content analysis techniques (Kyngäs, 2020) within the QCAmap data analysis environment. To enhance the reliability of the analysis, co-coding was employed; this involved two researchers reading and coding the interview transcripts separately. After the initial coding, the content and names of the codes were discussed among the authors until they reached a consensus. Codes with similar themes were then grouped into larger categories based on the research question, and a presentation of the results was prepared.

Our findings emphasize the importance of developing sustainable collaborative frameworks that empower teachers to design and implement integration strategies that are relevant and meaningful to their specific subjects. Integrating general subject knowledge and key competencies into Estonian upper secondary vocational education represented a significant curriculum and pedagogical shift, positively received by school leaders. However, over time, its practical application declined as educators began to see it as a bureaucratic requirement, facing challenges in daily implementation. School leaders viewed the integration of general subject knowledge into vocational modules as largely successful, recognizing it as a positive outcome of enhanced teacher collaboration. This integration benefitted students by fostering an awareness of the connection between general and vocational subjects. Interviews indicated that management strongly supported collaboration between general studies and vocational teachers, particularly in the early years following the reform. Leaders noted that this "pushing of boundaries" associated with integration generated creative energy and facilitated discussions among teachers about their curricula. However, it was acknowledged that such collaborative practices were more prevalent initially and that the approach to integrated teaching has since evolved due to shifts in teacher conformity. Teachers' perceptions of integration significantly contrasted with those of school leaders. They often viewed integration as a top-down bureaucratic demand, reluctant to adopt it fully. They cited instances of overly lengthy school curricula containing incongruent integration points, such as welding and music, and in contrast, emphasized the existence of 'natural integration points'—like connections between foreign languages and vocational subjects—that occur organically and do not require formal curriculum documentation. A distinction emerged between vocational and general subject teachers. Vocational teachers reported integrating general subject knowledge into their specializations over time, resulting in reduced collaboration. In contrast, general subject teachers, particularly in social studies, questioned the competence of vocational teachers to address this knowledge effectively within their vocational subjects.

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