ABSTRACT
The introductory chapter sets the scene for the study of the evolution of vocational education and training in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. They look very different measured by conventional typologies of VET. Still, they differ significantly from continental and liberal VET systems. These systems have many similarities and share a common heritage in education policy, welfare policies as well as their egalitarian social fabric. The chapter explores how similarities and differences can be explained, and presents a variety of perspectives in order to capture the specificities of the Nordic VET trajectories.
