This text has been translated from Norwegian with the assistance of GPT UiO
– Which research project are you most preoccupied with?
– I am working on establishing the new Norwegian Centre for International Economics (NORCIE), for which the Department of Economics is the host institution. Our partners are ARENA here at the University of Oslo, PRIO, and CMI in Bergen.
– NORCIE brings together four leading research environments in order to strengthen Norway’s capacity to respond to major upheavals and policy shifts in the international economy. It is an interdisciplinary centre, grounded in economics, political science, and geography.
– What do you hope to find out?
– The main goal is to strengthen Norway’s capacity to understand, predict, and respond to structural changes and policy shifts in the international economy – through pioneering interdisciplinary research and timely communication of action-oriented insights on foreign trade, security, and development policy.
– Why is this important?
– Norway is a small, open economy and completely dependent on the world around us. Understanding how the world is developing is therefore always important, but in a time of significant change and uncertainty, it is more important than ever.
– What do you look for when choosing collaborators?
– I always look for recognised and highly competent institutions and individuals. In connection with NORCIE, there has also been a strong desire to build bridges across different academic disciplines.
– Who is this research relevant for outside academia, and what do you do to ensure they benefit from it?
– Our aim is to build an internationally recognised interdisciplinary research environment by bringing together existing strengths, training new academics, and collaborating with global experts. We do this by building on strong academic communities in economics and political science.
– We have a research agenda that focuses on key challenges in the international economy and seeks to strengthen the knowledge base available to decision-makers in Norway.
– Do you have any examples of the research being used outside academia?
– We are now in the start-up phase with NORCIE, but we are planning extensive outreach activities, so that we can meet the Research Council of Norway’s objective that the centre should provide decision-makers with knowledge and analytical foundations concerning developments in the international economy that are relevant for Norwegian foreign, trade, security, and development policy.
– What do you think is the most interesting aspect of being a researcher?
– Having exciting workdays with the opportunity to delve into interesting questions, a great deal of freedom, and endless access to fascinating and inspiring people.