NERA is the abbreviation for the Nordic Educational Research Association and is the main association for educational researchers in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). It is a basis for cooperation and development of educational research. NERA started in 1972 and has established itself as a key factor in educational research in the Nordic countries. The main purposes of NERA are:
- encouraging and enhancing communication and collaboration amongst educational researchers in the Nordic countries
- promoting excellent educational research with high relevance for educational issues, policies and practices within the Nordic and non-Nordic societies as well
- developing and strengthening the position of Nordic educational research in the European and international settings
- promoting communication and collaboration between Nordic educational researchers and educational researchers from other countries
NERA has a number of activities. One is the yearly congress, where researchers meet and discuss their research work. The peer-reviewed journal Nordic Studies in Education (former Nordisk Pedagogik), in which papers are published in English or Scandinavian languages, is another important part of NERA. There is also a network structure where researchers can meet around common special interests. NERA is open for everyone that has an interest in educational research in the Nordic context. The association is based on membership and decision-making is following traditional democratic rules. The yearly general assembly is the highest decision-making body. It appoints a board.
NERA is a multilingual organisation that – even though English is the main language shared of all members – acknowledge the importance of retaining Nordic languages in educational research and therefore alongside English strive to make use of Scandinavian languages for some of the activities (and as a real possibility in the network sessions). The Nordic abbreviation of the association is NFPF (Nordisk Förening för Pedagogisk Forskning).