Themes and focus areas
Nordplus focus highlights knowledge and skills for a competitive Nordic and Baltic region, supporting the Nordic Council of Ministers’ vision of the world’s most sustainable and integrated region. To contribute to the Nordplus' focus, there are 14 themes. All projects funded must be within one of these themes.
Nordplus focus: A competitive Nordic and Baltic region
Nordplus works in line with the Nordic Council of Ministers’ vision that the Nordic region should be the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030. After a couple of years of focus on social sustainability and inclusion, it is now a competitive Nordic and Baltic region that is in focus.
About the Nordplus focus area 2025
In line with the Nordic Council of Ministers’ vision of the Nordic region as the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030, Nordplus presents a new focus area from 2025: Knowledge and skills for a competitive Nordic and Baltic region.
A competitive region is a sustainable and equal region that promotes education that meets the need for competence. The emphasis within the focus area is therefore on improved basic skills in language and mathematics, which are crucial for succeeding in studies. Knowledge in STEM subjects, AI and green competences is also important in order to stand up to competition from the outside world.
That individuals through mobility develop, gain new perspectives and experience from other cultures also increases the opportunities to establish themselves in the labour market and contribute to a sustainable society.
The different Nordplus focus areas apply to all Nordplus sub-programmes and are a way to encourage initiatives on a particular theme, but there are no requirements that they should steer the content of new projects. What determines which projects have their application approved is always quality.
"The Nordic region shall be the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030"
The vision of the Nordic Council of Ministers is that the Nordic region shall be the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030. The vision is in line with Agenda 2030 and the UN’s seventeen global goals for sustainable development. Within the vision there are several themes that you as a project owner within Nordplus can keep in mind when choosing the subject of your project.
- Contribute to good health and well-being for all.
- Strive to involve all Nordic citizens in the green transition and prevent the emergence of social divides.
- Give children and young people a stronger voice and greater engagement in Nordic cooperation.
- Maintain social trust and Nordic cohesion with a focus on culture, democracy, equality and integration.
On social sustainability – Nordplus focus area 2023–2024
The Nordic ministers of education have discussed the importance of education for inclusion and development and have concluded that the Nordic region must invest more in language teaching for children with a different linguistic and cultural background.
Language is the key to society and society is the key to language! (norden.org)
A Nordic pilot study on working with social sustainability in everyday life:
The Public Health Agency of Sweden on social sustainability:
What does sustainability mean for us? (Website of the Public Health Agency of Sweden)
Reports stating that all pupils and students by 2030 should acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development:
UNESCO’s Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Themes
To contribute to the Nordplus' focus, all projects funded within Nordplus must be within one of our 14 themes. When you apply for funding, you need to specifiy whithin which theme your project will operate.
Initiatives aiming to support active citizenship and democratic participation of any given target group, whether in formal education, adult learning or in society at large. Includes initiatives addressing present day societal issues, e.g. seniors citizens and the digitalized society, radicalization/extremism or third sector initiatives
Initiatives aiming to strengthen basic skills/key competences of a given target group. EU has defined 8 key competences: communication in mother tongue (literacy), in foreign languages, digital skills, basic skills in mathematics/science, learning to learn, social and civic responsibility, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and creativity.
Initiatives addressing the issue of drop out from education in all its aspects, e.g. investigation of background for early school leaving, drop out in transition between education levels to retention of drop out. Relates to all sectors
Initiatives on education in view of the labour market. Relates to all sectors, basic education, vocational education, higher education as well as continuing education. Includes e.g. business case based teaching, work based learning, internships and work placements. For initiatives specifically on entrepreneurship, please use the separate theme "Entrepreneurship"
Initiatives on entrepreneurship within all fields of education from primary to higher education as well as in continuous education. E.g. establishing entrepreneurial mindset social entrepreneurship to business startups or business incubator.
All aspects of the "environmental" issue, relating to all educational sectors. It could be as part of teaching in primary and secondary education onto initiatives aiming at strengthening the knowledge and awareness in society at large
Initiatives addressing education and career guidance. Relates to all fields of education
Initiatives addressing physical and mental health and wellbeing. Relates to all fiels of education
Relates to all fields of education and involves all groups of vulnerable and marginalized groups, special needs education, e.g. individuals with physical and psychological disabilities, minorities and disadvantaged ndividuals with weak educational background. For initiatives specifically on integration of immigrants and refugees please use the separate theme "Integration of immigrants and refugees".
Initiatives on education for refugees and immigrants within all fields of education, including initiatives on learning of Nordic and Baltic languages for immigrants and refugees (second language learning)
Initiatives on strengthening the understanding of the Nordic languages - in Nordplus the Nordic languages are Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Faroese, Greenlandic, Sami, the Nordic sign languages and other official minority languages in the Nordic region
Initiatives on methods, systems, practices, materials etc. for validation and recognition of informal and non-formal learning as well as initiatives on assessment and recognition of foreign educations/degrees
Initiatives addressing welfare educations in their broadest definition encompassing among others education for nurses, social educators, social workers, physiotherapists as well as the vocational social and health educations. For initiatives specifically on teacher education and teacher competences, please use the separate theme "Teacher education and teacher competences"
Choose, if none of the themes listed are representative for your initiative