To achieve the aims outlined in Vision 2030 by the Nordic Council of Ministers (2020) – that the Nordic region becomes the best place in the world for children and young people – schools must play a central role. This is particularly true in creating and sustaining democratic spaces where children and youth can learn about, exercise, and develop their rights to be heard and to participate meaningfully in matters that affect them. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989) has influenced many nations, and particularly the Nordic countries, which are notable for their efforts to institutionalise and implement student participation in everyday school life. This includes the right of students to express their views within the space of schools and take part in decisions that affect them (Gunnulfsen et al., 2023).
Across the Nordic region, student councils have long been regarded as a major platform for realising these rights and responsibilities. In this report we examine the current state of student councils in seven Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. These countries have education systems rooted in the Nordic model of education (Blossing et al., 2014), characterised – especially from a policy perspective – by a strong emphasis on democracy, sustainability, and student welfare (Gunnulfsen et al., 2023).
We use the term student councils, reflecting what are also called in the literature as pupils’ councils. Both terms refer to a student-led group where students assemble to democratically associate around issues concerning the student body, their education, and work within the school (Kempner & Janmaat, 2023). The democratic notion pertains not only to the right for students to speak and engage in matters concerning them but also to the process of accessing and experiencing meaningful participation within the councils.
However, in an era marked by global democratic backsliding (Haggard & Kaufman, 2021; Jafarova, 2021), it has become increasingly challenging (Kahn-Nisser, 2025) to maintain or expand democratic practices, including children’s rights to participate in their own education. At the same time, Nordic education systems face mounting pressure from market-oriented and managerial policies that prioritise individual achievement and standardised outcomes. As a result, school leaders and educators often have limited time and resources to fulfil their democratic, rights-based, and participatory educational roles and responsibilities (Gunnulfsen et al., 2023).
Recent studies indicate that while ideals such as sustainability and global citizenship are highly visible in Nordic education discourse, they are more often acknowledged in principle rather than actively pursued in practice in Nordic schools (Jónsson et al., 2021). Moreover, although the legal frameworks of Nordic schools emphasise democratic participation and equal opportunities, research also shows that schools may inadvertently reproduce social inequalities, particularly those based on class and culture, through uneven access to participatory structures such as student councils (Kempner & Janmaat, 2023). This raises important questions about the extent to which student councils, considered a hallmark of Nordic education, truly function as inclusive and democratic spaces where all students can have their voices heard so that they may influence matters concerning them.
This report is part of a four-year project led by the Nordic Welfare Centre, focused on children’s right to be heard in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic (Løberg, 2023). As such, it contributes a critical piece to the broader puzzle of understanding the challenges and opportunities involved in ensuring that children and young people across the Nordic region have equal access to meaningful participation in a democratic and sustainable society. The report maps students’ democratic participation opportunities in the Nordic countries by focusing on student councils.
A policy mapping exercise sheds light on the legal and formal framework for student councils in the seven participating countries whilst a student survey administered to students in grades 5, 9, or 10 of primary and lower-secondary schools across the Nordic region offers an insight into students’ awareness and experiences of student councils. Drawing on informant and focus group interviews, selected examples will be given from practices that promote engagement of all pupils and contribute positively to an equal and inclusive learning environment. The voices of children and young people in vulnerable situations will further offer vital understanding of where improvements are needed to ensure the participation of marginalised groups.
The report will also summarise findings and lessons learned from examining the situation of youth during the pandemic and the current research findings concerning the topic (Gretschel et al., 2023; Kjellander & Sjöblom, 2023; Løberg, 2023). These findings show evidence that there was too little interaction and information exchange between youth and decision-makers at that time. Children and young people were scarcely heard or involved in matters that concerned them and rarely involved in decision-making. The knowledge gathered in this report should be able to better prepare youth involvement in decisions in future crises in the Nordic region.