Enhancing Research on the Integration of Formal Educational Programmes and Workplace Learning

Project Information

FEWL

Grant agreement ID: 101079237

DOI

10.3030/101079237

Project closed

EC signature date 9 August 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2025

Funded under

• Widening participation and spreading excellence

Total cost

€ 803 805,00

EU contribution

€ 803 805,00

Coordinated by

TALLINN UNIVERSITY
Estonia

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FEWL (Enhancing Research on the Integration of Formal Educational Programmes and Workplace Learning)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The FEWL project was implemented in response to a recognised need to strengthen research capacity and scientific excellence at the School of Educational Sciences (SES) at Tallinn University (TLU) in the field of integrating workplace learning (WPL) and formal education. While international research on work-based and workplace learning has expanded over recent decades, it has predominantly focused on vocational education and training. Consequently, systematic research on how learning in authentic work environments can be meaningfully integrated into general education—covering basic education and upper secondary general education—remains limited. This gap constrains both theoretical development and the availability of evidence to inform educational practice and policy.

Against this background, the overall objective of the FEWL project was to strengthen the research capacity of SES at TLU in a multifaceted manner. This included enlarging the scope and visibility of research, enhancing scientific quality, and building a sustainable international research network with top-class European partners in the field of integrating workplace learning and formal education programmes. In line with the Horizon Europe Twinning instrument, the project emphasised long-term capacity building through structured collaboration, knowledge exchange and institutional learning.

This overall objective was operationalised through six interrelated specific objectives, focusing on scientific excellence, research creativity, international networking, early-stage researcher (ESR) training, policy relevance, and research management and administrative (RMA) capacity building. Close cooperation with the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) and Paderborn University (Germany) was central to achieving these objectives, providing complementary theoretical, methodological and organisational expertise and ensuring continuous international academic exchange.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project was implemented through a structured work plan consisting of six interlinked work packages, with leadership responsibilities distributed among the partners to promote shared ownership and capacity building. All partners contributed actively to all work packages, ensuring strong integration of international perspectives and local contexts.

Key activities focused on developing advanced conceptual and methodological approaches to researching learning across formal education and workplace settings, with particular attention to learner agency and participation in authentic work environments. SES researchers became more deeply embedded in leading European research communities, especially within the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) and its Special Interest Groups, as well as the European Educational Research Association (EERA). Joint symposia, workshops and conference presentations significantly strengthened SES’s international research visibility.

The project placed strong emphasis on interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration, involving professionals from vocational and non-vocational contexts. Empirical research activities generated new insights into learning content and formats in general education and highlighted the role of formal, non-formal and informal learning as interconnected dimensions of students’ learning pathways.

Early-stage researcher capacity building was embedded as a transversal element across all activities. ESRs were actively involved in data collection, analysis and dissemination, and participated in dedicated international training events and workshops organised in cooperation with partner institutions. This supported the development of advanced methodological competences, research independence and long-term academic sustainability.

In parallel, the project strengthened SES’s international profile through researcher mobility, joint publications, and the preparation of a special issue of the journal Social Sciences (2025), which positioned FEWL themes within international scholarly debates. RMA capacity was enhanced through systematic exchange of good practices with partner universities, study visits and joint preparation of international funding proposals, including an ERC Synergy Grant application. Several other applications were prepared, and the Erasmus+ WISH project is funded.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The FEWL project advanced the state of the art by extending workplace learning research beyond its traditional focus on vocational education and systematically addressing learning across school, work and other authentic contexts in general education. By conceptualising formal, non-formal and informal learning as interrelated dimensions, the project provided a more holistic analytical framework for understanding students’ learning pathways.

Empirical findings demonstrated that work-related meaning-making can be effectively embedded in general education through pedagogical practices that support learner agency. The results indicate that engagement with work-related themes and authentic work experiences may contribute to improved student engagement and reduced burnout. The project also highlighted the significance of temporary paid employment, voluntary work and non-formal learning settings—such as museums and science centres—as under-utilised resources for general education, particularly in relation to career orientation and informed decision-making.

Methodologically, the project contributed new analytical perspectives and comparative insights by integrating qualitative and mixed-methods approaches across national and institutional contexts. These advances provide a robust foundation for future international research initiatives and support the development of innovative pedagogical and conceptual models for integrating formal education and workplace learning.

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