Coordinator for the network, Margaretha Kristoffersson, Umeå University, Sweden Network School -Home cooperation is affiliated to the Nordic network NORNAPE, Nordic research network about parents in education. NORNAPE is regarded as a satellite to/a branch of the European research network about parents in education, ERNAPE. NORNAPE is interdisciplinary and the core network covers a great number of research fellows and doctor students from Denmark, Estonia Finland, Iceland, Norway och Sweden. In each of the Nordic countries researchers continuously meet to discuss and to initiate national networks and interdisciplinary co-operation in this field of study.

Parents in education, the term is intended to include both the relationship of parents to school systems and the contributions which parents and families make to their child's learning outside school.

The field of research about parents in education and families in education is increasingly being recognised as vitally important. More and more research is being carried out world-wide. Since there is a general tendency that children spend most of their waking (therefore learning) time outside not only school but also home, it is not surprising that research is being directed at parents and families and how they interrelate with schools and other arenas for their children's learning lives.

NORNAPE will be relevant to anyone researching in the areas of education, educational administration, educational psychology, educational sociology and related disciplines. NORNAPE will also be of interest to parents, teachers and their organisations. NORNAPE is an independent body, not tied to any political, religious or other ideological groups.

The purpose of the network is to work as a critical, informative, theory-generating base for:

• information exchange between researchers and organisations;
• interaction in doing researchin the Nordic countries;
• design of joint programmes, analysis and reflection on parents in education;
• stimulating awareness of the field;
• supporting/educating young researchers in the field of parents in education.
• training of doctoral researchers

(updated September 1, 2008)