International research context

Nordic research context: NoFa

NoFa is the acronym for Nordisk Fagdidaktik. As a Nordic network for research in subject-didactics, we acknowledge that this research field is conceptualised in different ways across contexts. NoFa welcomes subject-didactical research based on any definition, including all aspects on any school subject in any context and educational level, as well as meta-level research on the concept of subject-didactical research in itself.

Purpose

The purpose of NoFa is to promote and strengthen subject-didactical research within and across different educational subjects and countries in the Nordic region. NoFa facilitates development of relations and cooperation between individual members, groups and institutions, which in turn enables the exchange of relevant information and invitations between participants.

The primary aim of the network is to organise biannual conferences.

Formalisation comprising General assembly and steering committee

Until 2025, NoFa has been organised as an informal non-membership network, free of charge. In the last 20 years, NoFa has organised 10 conferences since 2007, occasionally with subsequent conference reports.

Since 2025, NoFa is organised as a formalised network, which includes a General Assembly and a steering committee. It is still a non-membership network, free of charge.

The General Assembly takes place at the biannual conference and includes all participants there. It selects a steering committee for the following two years, and discusses any other business prepared by the sitting steering committee.

The steering committee’s mandate is to facilitate communication between the conferences and ensure that NoFa continues to develop its activities in accordance with its purpose. This includes communication with host and organiser of the upcoming conference, initiating invitations from potential hosts for the next conference, proposing candidates to be elected to the steering committee and preparing the General Assembly at the upcoming conference.

NoFa background

NoFa  has until 2025 been an informal research network, whose main activity has been to organize biannual conferences at Nordic universities and university colleges. Below is an overview of completed and planned conferences, their hosting institutions and themes, as well as proceedings and related special issues in journals or published anthologies.

NoFa Steering group

Members of steering group are from different Nordic universities and applied universities.