Changing Inequality at Educational Transitions

Project Information

EDUCHANGE

Grant agreement ID: 101089112

DOI

10.3030/101089112

EC signature date 18 September 2023

Start date 1 October 2023

End date 30 September 2028

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 1 999 764,00

EU contribution

€ 1 999 764,00

Coordinated by

HASKOLI ISLANDS
Iceland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EDUCHANGE (Changing Inequality at Educational Transitions)

Reporting period: 2023-10-01 to 2026-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In almost all countries, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds remain far less likely to pursue advanced education. These persistent inequalities undermine meritocratic ideals and contribute to skill shortages, limiting the optimal use of human resources.
EDUCHANGE tackles this challenge by developing and testing two experimental interventions at two critical educational transitions in tracked European systems.
The project’s objective is to implement harmonized, cross-national field experiments in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, and Iceland among last-year upper secondary students (WP3) and last-year compulsory school students (WP2) to test whether career guidance, role models, and selective information can reduce inequalities at these junctures.
Key tasks are organized into five work packages:

WP1: Mapping career guidance systems to contextualize interventions and identify gaps.
WP2 & WP3: Integrating multimedia role-model content with structured counselling to address informational and psychological barriers.
WP4: Using digital platforms for randomized delivery, interactive learning, and behavioral data collection (e.g. click patterns, response times).
WP5: Synthesizing evidence to inform research, policy, and practice through high-impact publications and an open-access book, comparing effectiveness across contrasting institutional contexts.

EDUCHANGE will provide the first comparative experimental evidence on reducing educational inequality across countries, generate insights into how institutional configurations shape effectiveness, and pioneer methods combining multimedia learning with behavioral measures. Findings will inform evidence-based policy and guidance practices, helping schools and governments design interventions that empower disadvantaged students to make informed choices. By implementing the same intervention in different contexts, the project will advance knowledge on the generalizability of findings.

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

During the reporting period, EDUCHANGE made substantial progress toward its objectives by completing key preparatory tasks and implementing the first large-scale interventions.
The project began with WP1, which mapped career guidance and counselling systems in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, and Iceland. This work combined desk research with stakeholder interviews and produced a comprehensive report identifying structural gaps and inequalities—critical for tailoring interventions to each country’s context.
Building on this groundwork, EDUCHANGE developed two harmonized experimental interventions targeting major educational transitions. WP3, focusing on the transition from upper secondary to higher education, was implemented across all four countries. This intervention introduced a hybrid format combining multimedia role-model videos with structured group counselling sessions. Delivered via a digital platform, it ensured standardized implementation and integrated interactive elements. In parallel, WP2 prepared the intervention for the transition from compulsory schooling to upper secondary education. Materials were finalized, including curated role-model videos for academic and vocational pathways. The design incorporates randomized video sequencing and plenary guidance sessions, with an additional treatment arm for parents to strengthen family engagement.
Technological and methodological innovation played a central role in WP4. The project developed a digital infrastructure for intervention delivery using Qualtrics, enabling randomization, seamless survey integration, and behavioral data collection such as interaction patterns and time-on-task. EDUCHANGE also piloted AI-based video translation to make role-model content accessible in multiple languages, enhancing inclusivity.
Collaboration and team development were essential achievements. Strong partnerships were established with schools and guidance professionals in all participating countries, and a formal agreement was signed with the Ministry of Education in Iceland to support implementation. The project built an interdisciplinary team combining sociology, education, economics, and psychology, ensuring scientific rigor and practical relevance.
Taken together, these achievements mark a significant step forward for EDUCHANGE. The project has completed cross-country mapping of guidance systems, implemented harmonized interventions at the second transition, developed innovative multimedia content and digital delivery tools, and prepared interventions for the first transition, including parent-focused components. It also established collaborations and data collection protocols adhering to Open Science and GDPR standards. These accomplishments provide a strong foundation for the next phases: analyzing rich cross-national data and synthesizing findings in WP5 to inform policy and practice through high-impact publications.

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)

EDUCHANGE introduces several advances that significantly move beyond existing research and practice in the field of educational inequality and career guidance.
First, the project is the first to implement harmonized field experiments across multiple countries at two critical educational transitions. Previous studies have typically focused on single-country contexts and later stages of education, limiting their generalizability. By conducting interventions in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, and Iceland, EDUCHANGE provides unique comparative evidence on how institutional differences shape the effectiveness of measures aimed at reducing social inequality.
Second, EDUCHANGE pioneers the integration of multimedia content and behavioral data into guidance interventions. The interventions combine role-model videos with structured counselling sessions and interactive digital elements, reflecting real-world guidance practices while ensuring experimental rigor. Using a digital platform allows randomization of content, seamless linkage between exposure and responses, and standardized implementation across countries—setting a new benchmark for scalability and methodological precision.
Third, the project goes beyond traditional survey-based approaches by collecting behavioral measures such as interaction patterns and time-on-task. These data offer new insights into how disadvantaged students process information and make educational decisions, opening avenues for research on cognitive and behavioral mechanisms underlying educational choices.
Finally, EDUCHANGE introduces technological innovations for inclusion, such as AI-based video translation, making role-model content accessible in multiple languages. This approach addresses barriers faced by students and parents with immigrant backgrounds and enhances the transferability of interventions beyond the original project countries.
Taken together, these advances represent a major step forward in understanding and reducing educational inequalities. EDUCHANGE not only develops new methodologies but also provides evidence that can inform policy and practice across diverse educational systems.