Johanna Köpsén

Associate Professor

PhD in Educational Research: Adult Learning with a background as strategist and
project manager in Higher Vocational Education. I’m interested in how curricula
and other documents are created, interpreted and applied in VET and education
for adults.

Research projects

A woman standing in front of a whiteboard.

Employers’ involvement in Higher Vocational Education and the local labour market’s skills supply

Higher Vocational Education was established in 2009 and since then it has grown and become an increasingly important source of skills supply. What makes employers get involved in programmes and what does their participation look like?

Teachers' interpretation and application of curriculum and other governing documents in municipal adult education

Teachers working in municipal adult education (MAE) have a variety of laws and steering documents to relate to in their work. This research project investigates how teachers interpret and apply them in their planning and teaching.

A group of people sitting at a table discussing.

Higher vocational education - educational policy and curriculum

What is the function of Swedish higher vocational education? How, and by who is it shaped? Whose knowledge counts and what values shape the educational communication?

Publications

2025

Johanna Köpsén (2025) Yrkesutbildning då och nu Lära till yrkeslärare, p. 69-80 (Chapter in book)

Ronny Högberg, Johanna Köpsén (2025) Organisation och styrning av yrkesutbildning inom skolväsendet Lära till yrkeslärare, p. 81-109 (Chapter in book)

Per Andersson, Susanne Köpsén, Johanna Köpsén (2025) Att vara yrkeslärare: yrkesdidaktiska utmaningar Lära till yrkeslärare, p. 367-382 (Chapter in book)

Susanne Köpsén, Johanna Köpsén, Per Andersson (Editorship) (2025) Lära till yrkeslärare

Mattias Nylund, Per Andersson, Andreas Fejes, Johanna Köpsén (2025) Teachers transformation of curricula in Swedish adult education and its implications for the purpose of education Journal of Curriculum Studies (Article in journal)

Continue to DOI

CV

Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Research: Adult Learning, 2020

Master degree in Social and Cultural Analysis, 2009

Sociology, 2005

Commissions

Faculty programme director, Programme for Vocational Teacher Education

Member of the board, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning

Associate Editor, Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training (NJVET)

Conference administrator, NordYrk 2021, 2022

Editorial Assistant, Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training (NJVET) 2016-2021

Conference administrator, 3rd International ProPEL Conference 2017

PhD-student representative on the board, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning 2017-2020

Work

Educational strategist, Analyst and Project manager, East Sweden Higher Vocational School, 2011-2016

Board member and Secretary, The Association of Higher Vocational Schools, 2013 – 2015

Analyst, County Administrative Board, 2010 – 2011

Organisation

Three people disussing. They are at a warehouse.

Division of Education and Sociology (APS)

Sustainable work and working life is the focus of the division’s research and education covering both pedagogy and sociology. Current research projects concern learning, leadership, equality, health and working conditions.

Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning (IBL)

Human behaviour and learning is the focus for education and research at the department. We educate students and scientists that are well equipped to meet future challenges in society and working life.