Lars Norqvist

About Me

I am a Senior Lecturer and temporary substitute head of the Centre for Principal Development, Department of Political Science. My work focuses on, through education, training and supervision, improving the conditions for principals to lead and manage schools. I am involved in training programs for principals and targeted initiatives with school authorities, with a particular focus on school improvement.

Part of my role is dedicated to research, where I hold a Fellowship at the AI Policy Lab. This allows me to explore artificial intelligence (AI) and its role in schools from various leadership perspectives. I also have a strong interest in educational perspectives and open youth work, and I am active in both national and international working groups that aim to improve activities and opportunities for children and young people.

My main driving force is to create the best possible society for children and young people. Schools and open youth work are central parts of their lives, and I strive to contribute to development and increased quality within these arenas. I enjoy working from a variety of perspectives, including the relationships between wholes and parts, as well as how local perspectives interact with national and international perspectives.

Background

I earned my PhD in Educational Work in June 2016. My research and dissertation focused on learning and the relationship between learning and information and communication technologies (ICTs). I have experience as a primary school teacher for almost 13 years, specializing in Swedish and social studies, as well as physical education. In non-formal education, I have worked as a trainer on behalf of the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF), where I trained organizations and participants in methods to recognize and document learning and competencies.

Educational Leadership as a Main Focus

Educational leadership involves describing, analyzing, explaining, and understanding how managers and leaders design, lead, and manage structures, cultures, functions, and processes within organizations whose mission is individuals' learning and socialization into citizens. In this context, the Centre for Principal Development focuses on how managers' and leaders' assessments and priorities, based on societal, political, and ideological conditions and aspirations, influence and guide this leadership.

I have been responsible for the course Educational Leadership and Digitalization of the School System (7.5 credits), which addresses various aspects of digitalization in the Swedish education system from the perspective of the principal's educational leadership. The course focused on the relationship between digitalization, organization, and change management.

I am a supervisor within “Collaboration for the Best School” (Samverkan för bästa skola - SBS), a combination of education and supervision focused on strengthening the improvement capacity and systematic quality work of school authorities and school units.

Additionally, I have been involved in the research project Systems Thinking Action Relations (STAR), which aimed to deepen the understanding of school leaders at various levels to understand their work, roles, and conditions for high goal achievement according to current school law.

I have extensive experience in teaching and supervising in the national principal training program, a mandatory education program that aims to provide principals and deputy principals with the knowledge and skills required to lead their operations towards their goals. The program comprises 30 credits and runs over three years. I have been responsible for and expert in the course School Leadership, which addresses how principals can lead their operations towards increased goal achievement based on the national mission and the principles of the governance system.

The European Dimension

I have experience from two European groups linked to the Council of Europe: Pool of European Youth Researchers (PEYR) and EU: European Training Strategy Advisory Group (ETS AG). These groups work on policy development and education within the field of youth work and provide me with access to an international network of researchers, policymakers, and educators. Within ETS AG, I am a nominated and selected active member until 2028, on behalf of the European Commission, Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC).

I am also active in the national working group EGL Sweden, which is part of Europe Goes Local. EGL Sweden works to support the development of local open leisure and youth work by promoting the use of "A European Charter on Local Youth Work". The charter is based on central European policy documents and reflects a collective European knowledge of what is required to ensure quality in open leisure and youth work.

New Technologies in Society and Education

I have extensive experience in researching how new technologies, such as ICT, can be used to improve the quality of education, learning, and development. Through my Fellowship at the AI Policy Lab, I research AI's role in leadership practices within educational settings. The project AI that really matters for the leaders – AI in leadership practices and processes in educational settings aims to understand AI's impact on leadership autonomy, accountability, and decision-making processes, and to provide insights that can inform policy at various governance levels.