Researchers from the Early Childhood Education environment at the Department of Education, Communication and Learning have received funding from multiple sources that will help strengthen the group’s international research cooperation.
Within the framework of a Nordic-Russian collaboration within higher education, the University of Gothenburg, the University College of Southeast Norway, Moscow State University and Moscow City University have been granted funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers for a 5-year project.
‘The grant will enable us to develop a strategic 5-year research plan for collaboration in the areas of policy, quality, teaching, learning and education. It will enable comparative research that may influence policy and praxis related to the youngest children’s learning, development and well-being. Researchers from the participating institutions will meet regularly with various key people to discuss the research results,’ says Professor Susanne Garvis, who together with Professors Sonja Sheridan and Pia Williams coordinates the University of Gothenburg’s involvement in the project.
Together with researchers from Russia, the three professors have also been involved in the launching of a new interdisciplinary scholarly publication, Early Childhood Education Today Journal, which publishes state-of-the-art research and programme evaluations aimed at promoting the development of children psychosocial well-being and learning in and through preschool education.
The journal was founded in 2016, which also marks the 120th anniversary of the births of two renowned researchers, Lev Vygotskij and Jean Piaget, whose contributions to the understanding of children’s development and education continue to inspire researchers, teachers and decision makers around the world.
Besides the Nordic-Russian collaboration, the research group has received funding from the European Commission for a project with Turkish researchers in which they will study and strengthen the role of fathers in relation to preschool.
The study will look at a variety of factors in society in relation to fathers and the youngest children and preschool teacher education. The project will be led from Baskent University in Turkey and will also involve a Dutch university.