Eli Smeplass

Eli Smeplass is an Associate Professor at the Department of Teacher Education, NTNU, within the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences. Her research focuses on vocational education, social inequality, and professional development, combining sociological theory with educational science perspectives. She holds leadership roles in research groups including Inequality, Welfare and Organization and International Vocational Education and Training Research. Smeplass has been a Fulbright Scholar (2023/24) and contributes to journals like Journal of Vocational Education and Training and Frontiers in Education.

Her teaching spans sociology, pedagogy, and vocational education at bachelor, master, and PhD levels. Notable projects include Teacher Education in Change and international comparative VET research. She co-edits International Journal of Vocational Education Studies and contributed entries to Store Norske Leksikon on vocational pedagogy and professional pride.

Research themes emphasize institutional dynamics, governance logics, and tensions between political goals and professional agency. Over 40 publications since 2017 reflect her focus on educational equity, teacher training quality, and Nordic educational systems. Smeplass actively engages in policy debates through op-eds in Universitetsavisa, addressing AI's impact on higher education and institutional reforms.