Universitetet i Agder: UiA Journal System
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How can Europe tackle the three employment challenges: the digital, the climate and the pandemic transition?
No full textAbstract
Never before in modern times has Working Europe been faced with such a fundamental and far-reaching transition pressure. We are in the beginning of two powerful transition processes, the innovation-driven digital transformation, and the policy-driven climate transition. On the top of these processes we are now facing a pandemic-driven restructuring of important sectors of our economies. Are our labour market regimes and policies fit for these challenges? Are we finally witnessing “the end of work” and an extended period of being Left Behind? Or can we build up capacities to deal with these three fundamental challenges? In this paper the authors discuss these issues based on the most recent labour market research and statistics and present some preliminary conclusions on the new forms of transition mechanism, and the scaling-up of European and national labour market transition policies as part of the Next Europe recovery strategy. It is not easy to predict the content, quality and volume of a skill development needs caused by the triple challenge of climate change, digitalisation, and Covid-19. We suggest, however, that the EU Commission should develop a transition capacity indicator corresponding to at least one fifth of the labour force and to recommend new springboards and bridges to work for the next years to come. We are convinced that this is the most productive and profitable investment Europe can do.
Keywords: Digitalisation, climate change, green deal, Covid-19, just transition, skill ga
Editors comments Our Common Futures of Sustainable Work - Concluding Reflections
No full textThese concluding remarks are divided into two sections and comprise both an overview of European policies on decent and sustainable work and a bird’s eye's view of the development of Swedish working life research in a European context. The concept of sustainable work has over the years encountered difficulties of being included in the Social Sustainability family. The launching of SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth with its focus on inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all has given sustainable work a new and stronger position as a vision for good work. The launching of the consultation of European Pillar of Social Rights in 2017 highlights the importance of future of work and welfare systems in Europe. The role of the social dialogue for sustainable and greener jobs are crucial in a future perspective. Sustainable welfare, social protection and social equality are prerequisites for decent and sustainable work. Working life research in Sweden has over the years interacted in various manners with the European policy and research communities. The Swedish National Institute for Working Life, abolished in 2006/07 created several European encounters, early in the new millennium, and the idea of sustainable work did have Swedish roots. Horizon Europe, current research on the Nordic labour market model and various European platforms and networks opens new windows for the social dialogue on the future European workplace. This policy discussion is urgently needed in times of Covid-19, digitalisation, and the Green Deal and pave the way for new European research programmes. 
Continuing Education of English Teachers: Teachers’ Translation of New Knowledge into the Classroom
No full textThis qualitative study seeks to gain deeper insight into how primary school teachers translate new knowledge about language learning into the classroom and how they experience development in their teaching practice through their continuing education course in English.
The theoretical framework is rooted in Ertsås and Irgens´ theory on teachers’ learning and professional development (2012). To avoid a dichotomous assumption of theory and practice, Ertsås and Irgens redefine theory as a process, theorising, where teachers gradually take increasingly stronger theory into use in order to reflect on, analyse and reason about their teaching practice.
The data were collected from three equivalent English courses in the autumn semesters of 2015, 2016 and 2017. The participants wrote a reflection text towards the end of their first semester in which they reflected on noticeable development in their own teaching practice. This textual documentary material was analysed primarily from an inductive perspective, then coded and categorised.
This study finds that the most striking evidence of development noted by teachers falls under the categories: using English more actively in the classroom, turning away from translation and teaching vocabulary – from single words to words in context. These findings are seen as a valuable contribution to the design of continuing education courses in English.
 
Stakeholder collaboration inspired by the Nordic model – Towards sustainable work and competitiveness during an industrial startup
No full textExternal stakeholder collaboration is vital for new industrial projects and establishments. The aim of this paper is to contribute to knowledge of how relations and stakeholder collaboration with trade unions can be created during industrial startups, so as to foster sustainable work and competitive advantages. A case study was carried out in the early phases of a major greenfield project aimed at establishing a new industrial domain in a Nordic context. The results show that cooperation between a new firm and trade unions has the potential to proactively address prerequisites for sustainable work in design phases of new factories, but also to strengthen the attention to other dimensions of social sustainability that are crucial for industrial startup´s long term success possibilities. However, specifically in a high—growth firm, there needs to be a systematic approach that incorporates continuous anchoring activities both within and between the stakeholders’ different levels. Serendipity in the findings were cooperation processes related to competence acquisition and societal development needed to meet both an emerging firm´s and future employee´s individual prerequisites and needs. Hence, building a stakeholder chain inspired by the Nordic model in change processes such as startups, enables attention to dimensions of social sustainability needed in work processes in early development phases, which is also beneficial from a competitive and societal perspective
The Swedish Platform for Sustainable Work inHorizon2020: in retrospect
No full textThe nationwide Swedish advocacy platform “Sustainable work as a resource for health, innovation and growth” started in 2013 with the aims of i) identifying possible openings for the research area within Horizon 2020, ii) implementing a strategy to impact Horizon2020, and iii) to connect Swedish and European researchers.
The basis for this agenda was that although work and working conditions have a major influence on the health, wellbeing and prosperity, these aspects were lacking or extremely fragmented in Horizon2020. Since this is a strong research area in Sweden and seen as strategically important by the Social partners, it should be a Swedish priority for Horizon2020. The initiative was funded by Vinnova, co-funded by the participating universities, and supported by the Social partners and other stakeholders.
The platform has extended the dialogue on the European research agenda within the Swedish research community, and gradually built a strategy to impact H2020. Over the years, our advocacy has also developed in interaction with the EU Agencies Eurofound and EU-OSHA, and with PEROSH. The focus has been on the pillars of Leadership and Societal Challenges (Horizon2020).
The impact on the early Calls in Horizon2020 was minor, while work and working life is much more visible in the later calls, and on the agenda in the drafts for Horizon Europe (FP9). The focus will now be on making the opportunities known to Swedish researchers, and on facilitating participation in applications.
 
Generating health and safety knowledge for innovative and sustainable workplaces: a PEROSH Perspective
No full textPEROSH is the Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).The PEROSH vision is that policymakers, workplaces and other stakeholders across Europe areinspired by and use knowledge generated by PEROSH in their efforts to develop innovativeand sustainable workplaces which are healthy and safe. PEROSH comprises 14 nationalresearch institutes from 13 countries on the continent of Europe. Each institute plays a keynational role through their affiliation to government, health and accident insurance systems,or industry and trade unions. The partnership acts collectively to: strengthen cooperation onOSH research and accelerate the generation of knowledge in key areas of OSH; anddisseminate and exchange knowledge and information on OSH issues. In 2019, TheInternational Labour Organization identified that PEROSH has “strong national and regional[European] policy impact”. This paper gives an overview of PEROSH: an introduction to itshistory and strategy; governance and structure; and core activities including the PEROSH JointResearch Programme and the PEROSH international Wellbeing at Work conference series. Itsummarises PEROSH outreach and networking activities at national, European and globallevel. The paper concludes with reflections on the importance of robust scientific evidence tounderpin and inform the actions of stakeholders for a sustainable world of work which ishealthy and safe
High and rising senior employment in the Nordic countries
No full textThe employment of older workers is high and rising in the Nordic countries, and most seniors have flexible access to emloyment or retirement from their early sixties. There is still potential for further improvements even in the Nordic countries, however. This article describes and analyses this development and the main policies and reforms behind it. The article ends up with some preliminary impacts on senior employment from the Covid 19 pandemic this yea