In Finland, 93 percent of children graduate from academic or vocational high schools, and 66 percent go on to higher education.

In Sweden, parents are entitled to 16 months paid parental leave, and this can be taken by men and women.

In Denmark, wind power generated 43.4 percent of electricity consumed in 2017, meaning the country is on track to meet its 50 percent renewable by 2030 target.

Norway has the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund of $1.1 trillion US, raising $131 billion in additional revenue in 2017 alone.

What lessons can Australian learn from the social, environmental and economic success of the Nordic nations?

The Australia Institute established the Nordic Policy Centre to explore the policy lessons that Australia can learn from the Nordic nations. Through research, stakeholder engagement, policy development, events, and public education, the Centre hopes to widen the Australian policy debate to include Nordic solutions to the big economic, social and environmental questions facing Australia.

The Australia Institute is one of the country’s most influential think tanks. Based in Canberra, it conducts research on a broad range of economic, social, transparency and environmental issues in order to inform public debate and bring greater accountability to the democratic process.

The Nordic Policy Centre is partnering with Deakin University on the first series of research papers. Andrew Scott is a Professor of Politics and Policy at Deakin University. His fifth book, Northern Lights, expresses the results of his enquiry into lessons for Australia from the continuing policy achievements of Sweden and other nations of Nordic Europe including through their: reduction of income and wealth inequalities, reduction of child poverty, democratising of access to public education, adoption of more family-friendly workplace arrangements; provision of comprehensive paid parental leave; support for employment transitions of mature-aged workers; and fair, sustainable management of natural resource wealth.