The RETAIN project (Retention Evaluation - Teacher Attrition and Incentives in Norway) is focused on understanding and addressing challenges in the teaching profession in Norway.

Currently, Norway, like other Nordic countries, faces concerns about a potential teacher shortage. This is partly due to students leaving teacher training programs, graduates choosing not to enter teaching, and a significant number of new teachers leaving within their first five years. The availability of teachers also differs greatly between different areas, particularly rural versus urban schools, making it difficult to ensure high-quality education everywhere.

The purpose of the RETAIN project is to figure out what makes teachers decide to stay in their profession and how national policies can be adjusted to match what teachers prefer, ultimately improving retention rates. Instead of just looking at why teachers leave (attrition), RETAIN specifically focuses on factors that contribute to them staying.

The project uses a three-part research approach:

1. A Delphi study which involves experts and key people like teachers and policymakers to agree on the most important job features that influence whether a teacher stays.
2. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) survey which helps to measure how important these features are relative to each other and what teachers are willing to trade off (like salary versus workload or support) to stay in the profession.
3. Interviews are conducted with teachers to get a deeper understanding of their experiences and see how well current national policies meet their actual needs.

Ultimately, the RETAIN project aims to equip schools with more knowledge to create supportive working environments that encourage teachers to stay. RETAIN will generate evidence-based strategies and policies to retain qualified teachers, which can ensure better educational outcomes.