The following countries take part in the international study on Confirmation 2007/2008:
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Austria: In Austria the lutheran and reformed protestants are a minority of 5 %. Because of the diaspora situation the confirmation groups can be small with just three or rather large with 50 confirmands. 37 parishes with different traditions take part in this confirmation research study. Special education for the confirmation workers is offered by the EJÖ and by KOKU.
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Denmark: In Denmark, the Centre for Theology and Theological education Loegumkloster is the partner of the research project. On an academic basis, the Centre offers continuing education in the fields of general theology, practical theology and theological education for pastors and other employees within the Danish National Church, including teaching subjects from the social sciences, philosophy, and the arts which may assist the church in fulfilling its role within contemporary society.
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Finland: In Finland 84 per cent of the population belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Nearly 90% (88% in 2006) of those 15 year old attend confirmation training. The Finnish part of the confirmation study is handled by the Church Research Institute. The purpose of the Church Research Institute is to carry out and coordinate research on religious life, church matters and various trends in contemporary society. It provides research-based information for Church decision-making and the development of Church activities.
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Germany: In Germany there are 23 independent regional churches in the EKD. 22 of them take part in the study. The Comenius Institute is the central institution for education and research in the field of religious pedagogy.
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Norway: In Norway, the study involves about 60 parishes covering all 11 dioceses in the lutheran Church of Norway. The research project is a joint effort by Iko- kirkelig pedagogisk senter, the central institution for education and research in the field of christian pedagogy, Kifo, Stiftelse Kirkeforskning, a foundation for church-related empirical research and KUN, Northern Norway Training Centre For Practical Theology.
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Sweden: The Swedish study is handled by the Service Research Center - CTF at Karlstad University in cooperation with the Church of Sweden Research Department. Data will be collected from parishes and regional summer confirmation camps within the Church of Sweden, which is the majority church with 76% of the population as members.
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Switzerland: In Switzerland, the age of confirmation is at 15/16, because the confirmation year is related to the final year at school. The reformed Church of the Canton Zurich as one of 24 reformed cantonal Churches participates in the research project. In the Canton of "Zwinglis Reformation" today only about one third of the overall population belongs to the reformed Church. But each year there are more than 4000 confirmands. The study involves 39 out of 180 parishes. The research project is a joint effort by the Faculty of Theology of the University of Zurich and the Church Department für pedagogy and animation, Zurich.
In further projects, cooperations with partners in the United States of America, the Netherlands, Iceland and Poland are envisaged.
