Monitoring student flows in different sectors of the system, between them and in transfer from education to employment also requires constant production of evaluated information. In disciplinary evaluations it is important to examine an educational field as a whole from primary to higher education. Research relating to evaluation Research on evaluation is vital when the aim is to reform the education system on a longer term and to analyse the impact of development projects or individual policy decisions. Research produces nationally and internationally reliable and comparable data and thereby promotes an understanding of the prerequisites of education, educational processes and outcomes as well as the mechanisms by which they influence each other. Research also influences school activities, which highlights the demand for legitimacy in evaluation.
Research plays a key role in longitudinal studies of educational development.
The present focus on individuality and institutional autonomy in education policy entails that measures are taken to ensure continual accumulation of researched data both on individual and institutional development and on development needs in the education system with a view to both national and international analyses. Similarly, research adds an important critical element to the evaluation of the impact of education policy and reforms taken to implement it. In national evaluation of education, the grounds and objects are determined by the Ministry of Education, which negotiates on the main lines and content of national evaluation and data collection with local authorities and other providers of education before any evaluation is undertaken. The Ministry also supports evaluation analyses and the development of evaluation methodology. National evaluation of general and vocational secondary education is carried out by the National Board of Education, whereas the Higher Education Evaluation Council is responsible for the evaluation of institutes of higher education.