From June 10–12, 2025, the Mapineq consortium gathered in Stockholm for one of the final project meetings before the conclusion of this ambitious research initiative. Hosted by Stockholm University, the summer meeting provided a crucial opportunity to reflect on the project’s original research questions, synthesize findings across work packages, and prepare policy recommendations for the upcoming white paper presentation at the European Parliament in Brussels this fall.
Educational Pathways and Early Life Conditions
The academic programme opened with remarks from project coordinator Jani Erola, setting the stage for a full day of presentations and discussions. The first session focused on how early life environments and educational systems shape inequality. William Foley and Albert Sánchez-Gelabert explored long-term trends in educational expansion and inequality, while Elina Kilpi-Jakonen presented findings on how universal daycare availability may influence the interaction between family background and children’s educational outcomes.
Labour Market Trajectories and Transitions
The second session turned to labour market dynamics across the life course. Christian König presented evidence on the long-term effects of entering the labour market during economic downturns. Carla Hornberg analyzed how labour market success and wellbeing vary at different career stages. Kadri Täht and Marge Unt used multichannel sequence analysis to investigate patterns of labour market exits and transitions.
Tools for Understanding Inequality and Mobility
The third session highlighted methodological innovations and mobility trends. Doug Leasure demonstrated a Bayesian latent variable model and a 3D visualization tool for exploring regional patterns in the Mapineq Link dataset. Esa Karonen presented research on internal migration, focusing on how family moves reshape children’s educational opportunities depending on the characteristics of the new environment. Markus Jäntti concluded with a synthesis of what the project has uncovered about mid-career mobility and labour market structures.
Synthesizing Contributions and Preparing for Policy Impact
Thursday’s programme was dedicated to synthesizing the project’s findings and preparing for its final outputs. Jani Erola facilitated a discussion on the project’s contributions across the life course and policy-making levels. Daniela Vono de Vilhena followed with an overview of the Mapineq white paper, which will consolidate the project’s insights and policy recommendations for presentation in Brussels.
