Education, skills and learning
Education, skills and learning is one of the five research themes of INVEST Research Flagship Centre.
Factors related to the education, skills, and learning of children, young people, and adults are examined from both psychological and sociological perspectives, using a variety of research data. The aim is to understand the psychological, social, and societal factors — as well as education-related phenomena — that influence the learning of essential skills and competencies in both current and future societies.
Research area director: Professor Johanna Kaakinen
Coordinator: Daria Pritup
Researchers linked to the Research Theme
Johanna Kaakinen
Johanna Kaakinen is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Turku, Finland. She is the director of the research theme “Education, skills and learning” at the INVEST Research Flagship. She is currently leading two research projects: Fostering Finnish Science Capital (FINSCI) consortium funded by the Strategic Research Council (2020-2026), and Eye-tracking and AI for Enhanced Teaching (EYE-TEACH) consortium funded by Horizon Europe (2025-2027). She also coordinates the activities of Turku EyeLabs, the eye-tracking laboratories of the University of Turku.
Elina Kilpi-Jakonen
Elina Kilpi-Jakonen is a Professor of Sociology at the INVEST Research Flagship, University of Turku, and the director of the research theme Children, young people and learning. Her research focuses on social inequalities in education and the labour market, in particular those related to ethnicity, gender and social origin. She leads a work package in the SISU Sufficiency solutions for a resilient, green, and just Finland project funded by the Strategic Research Council (2023–29). She is the co-leader of a work package in the Children First project funded by NordForsk (2023–26). She is also the co-leader of a work package in the Mapping Inequalities through the Life Course (MapIneq) project funded by Horizon Europe (2022–25).
>>>Browse Elina Kilpi-Jakonen’s published research articles.
Kirsi Peltonen
Kirsi Peltonen is a Professor of Psychology at the INVEST Research Flagship, University of Turku, and the director of the research theme Child and adolescent psychosocial well-being and mental health. Her research has focused on the impact of war and violence on child and adolescent development, including education and learning. Implementing research into society has been an important part of her work.