Nordplus strengthens shared Nordic identity and are flexible and accessible

The main summary says:

“Overall, the evaluation presents a very positive picture of how Nordplus is functioning for those who apply to and participate in the programme and is succeeding in promoting its overall goals, with a few areas identified for improvement. Additionally, it identifies perspectives and potential strategies to be considered when planning for the programme’s future”.

As a project coordinator in Norway put it:
“For the children, it was a real experience for life that created another understanding of Danish and Norwegian culture and language. There are also teachers from different countries that visit each other and have become friends.”

Nordplus applicants and project coordinators report high satisfaction with and positive results from the programme, with a few areas identified for improvement. The report identifies perspectives and potential strategies to be considered, for example by emphasizing aspects unique to Nordplus or relating to the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Vision 2030.

And it is said from an external stakeholder, Stockholm University
“Maybe the Nordic cooperation is a door opener for those not used to international cooperation. It’s easier if you want to take the first step. It can feel as a good framework – it feels as if we know each other.”

Asked directly about what Nordplus should priorities going forward, all those interviewed emphasized the importance of the programme’s simplicity, flexibility, and therefore its accessibility. These finding are one of Nordplus key elements for why one should apply.

A project coordinator from Latvia says:
“I would say it the application process is the most user-friendly I know because it is easy to fill out the forms and not many documents need to be attached. Just in general, there is not much bureaucratic about the application forms.”

And the evaluation concludes:
“According to project coordinators and other stakeholders, the programme supports network development, creating meaningful Nordic Partnerships and cooperation that go beyond individual projects.”

and

“Across the Nordplus subprogrammes, large majorities of participants in most projects interact both physically and virtually, and project coordinators and other stakeholders see important value in Nordplus’s promotion of mobility and cohesion in the Nordic-Baltic region. They emphasise that it is important to maintain Nordplus’s role in providing support for educational cooperation within the region, as it strengthens shared identity through human connection and shared practice.”

In Nordplus we would like to thank the Nordic Council of Ministers for entrusting us to carry out this evaluation, which is valuable knowledge for our prospective work.

Facts:

The specific focus of the evaluation was to investigate how the Nordplus Programme:

• Succeeds in communicating to target groups and other stakeholders
• Spurs focus using Nordplus Highlights
• Meets the different target groups’ needs
• Strengthens network creation; exchange, cooperation, and innovation within education; digital competencies; and knowledge of the Nordic languages
• May be influenced going forward in light of changes to other, related programmes (esp. Erasmus+ and the Nordic Master Programme)
• May be focused going forward, particularly in the case of budget reductions

Evaluation of Nordplus 2021 (web)

Evaluation of Nordplus 2021 (in pdf)