These include: emphasis on education and openness to change and new ideas. The Nordic countries share a long-tradition of emphasising the importance of education. Nowadays, the share of the working age population with upper-secondary education, as well as tertiary education, is considerably higher in the Nordic countries than in the other EU countries on average.
Moreover, the participation rates for non-formal job-related continuing education and training are exceptionally high in the Nordic countries. 4 The Nordic economies have benefited from a well-educated labour force. The skilled labour force has contributed to a rapid diffusion of information and communication technologies, thus contributing to favourable productivity developments.