This paper stems from an ongoing Nordplus Higher Education funded development project “Internationalizing Nordic and Baltic Teacher Training in Visual Arts and Craft Education” organized under EDDA Norden network (http://eddanorden.com). The goal of the project has been to establish a sustainable model for Nordic and Baltic collaboration for visual art and craft teacher training programs to integrate international collaboration into the yearly cycle of their study programs. The project was launched in June 2024 and is currently on its second funding period (third funding period has just been applied). The project partners are Aalto University (project coordinator); University of Agder; HDK-Valand Academy of Art and Design at University of Gothenburg; Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design; Umeå University; University College Copenhagen; Vilnius University Siauliai Academy; and Iceland University of the Arts.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a historical context for Nordic and Baltic collaboration in the field of visual art education and to map future collaborative research trajectories that the current project has unfolded. Drawing from a lineage of previous collaborative projects within the past few decades (Göthlund, Illeris & Thrane, 2015; Lindström, 1998; Lindström, 2009), this paper maps themes, topics, and pedagogical practices that art education researchers working in teacher training programs have explored and discussed as part of their international collaboration in the past as well as in the present. Reflecting on how these different collaborative projects have resonated and responded to their historical, social, and political conditions both nationally and internationally, this paper aims to better understand the means and aims of internationalization in art teacher training programs and art education research in the Nordic and Baltic region.

This paper combines a careful literature review of the main key sources from past collaborative projects (Göthlund, Illeris & Thrane, 2015; Lindström, 1998; Lindström, 2009) with observations and documentation from the current development project. In the current phase of the research, it does not involve interviews from past or present project participants. However, such material will be gathered later.

The paper contributes to the decades-long efforts to strengthen the international research collaboration between Nordic and Baltic art educators. By outlining the means and aims of past and present professional collaborations, the paper aims to offer a productive ground from which to develop future international research projects between visual art teacher training programs in the region.

Göthlund, A., Illeris, H., Thrane, K. W. (Eds.) (2015). Edge: 20 essays on contemporary art education. Multivers. Lindström, L. (Ed.) (1998). Nordic visual arts research. A theoretical and methodological review. Stockholm Institute of Education Press. Lindström, L. (Ed.) (2009). Nordic visual art education in transition. A research review. Swedish Research Council.