Our research focus on various aspects relating to the conditions, implementation, results and effects of vocational education and training.
Vocational education and training is organized in different ways and to varying degrees in school and in working life. Our research is primarily aimed at the part of vocational education and training which is carried out in school under the guidance of professional vocational teachers. But we are also interested in, and conduct, research concerning the interaction between the two parts of vocational education, i.e. school and workplaces. We study vocational education and training organized at different levels: upper secondary school, municipal adult education and post-secondary vocational education at folk high schools and in Higher Vocational Education. The contexts of our research have so far mainly dealt with the Swedish setting, but we are also carrying out studies which concern vocational education and training in other countries. Research on vocational and professional education need not always be distinguished, why there is also an interest in professional education for, for example, teachers for adult education, folk high school teachers and teachers in Swedish for immigrants.
Our division hosts a research seminar in vocational education and training. Research on vocational education and training is interdisciplinary and thus, the research seminar is aimed at researchers in different disciplines. Participants of the seminar are researchers from Linköping University as well as from other universities. School leaders and teachers in vocational education are also welcomed to attend the seminar.