Specialised in institutional economics with expertise in rural development and policy, environmental and resource management mainly related to agriculture, bioeconomy and innovation
Academic Qualifications
PhD in Institutional Economics, University of Life Sciences, Norway
MSc in Agricultural Economics, The Royal Veterinarian and Agricultural University, Denmark
Languages
Danish
Norwegian
English
Swedish
German
Prior positions
2016-2024: Nordregio Research Director / Deputy Director
2015-2016: Senior Researcher at Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research
1997-2015: Senior Researcher at Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute. Team-leader for Natural Resource Management and Ground Innovation
(2010: Visiting fellow at Centre for Development Studies, Kerala, India)
(2005-2006: Visiting Fellow University of Vermont, USA )
1994-1997: Researcher at Dep of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Life Sciences, Norway
1992: Research assistant at Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark
(1991): Visiting fellow at University of Hohenheim, DE)
1989-1995: PhD-scholarship at Dep of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Life Sciences, Norway
1988-1989: Lecturer at Icelandic Agricultural University, Hvanneyri, Iceland
Transnational Projects
2008-present: International Comparative Rural Policy Studies Consortium (Europe-US-Canada-Mexico)
2005-2008: EU Framework Programme, Norway coordination, TOP-MARD. Towards a Policy Model of Multifunctional Agriculture and Rural Development
Publications by Karen Refsgaard
Karen Refsgaard‘s spatial story
Moving across the Nordics with a Rural View!
I was brought up on the fertile Salling lands surrounded by the Limfjord where brick stones have been produced in centuries due to the moler – and with, folk highschools and rural values as a solid fundament.
Studies in agricultural economics at the former Royal Vet. and Agricultural University was not at first a big eye opener – not before I had travelled around in Iceland’s fascinating geology, innovative people and proud historical knowledge while teaching all kinds of economics as a lecturer at the Agricultural College at Hvanneyri. This land with its people is so open-minded and hands-on in a nice blend with a particular and raw nature.
Norway made me become aware of rurality, and the great aspect of comparisons. Here I spent the next half of my life getting a family and becoming familiar with institutional economics through my PhD at the University of Life Sciences, Norwegian outdoor culture and community life. Norway is a prime example on Polanyi’s point “that only the State can – and has the moral duty to – protect the natural and human resources from over-exploitation and ultimately their degradation and despoliation.” A widespread ownership of basic bio-resources for development in rural areas like fish, forest and agriculture together with access to outdoor life like “the allmans right” the last being embedded in Norwegian cultural life in family, kindergarten, schools and among people in general. But also the hunting culture is widespread in society.
The circle travelling the Nordic countries has then here in 2016 nearly been closed when starting as Research / Vice Director at Nordregio. With its interesting research topics, the very good atmosphere at Skeppsholmen and a “nice” lot of bright dedicated researchers from a global community, communicating with society, Nordregio has great potential for contributing to the Nordic societies rural, urban and their linkages. As a bonus I have the benefit to be married to a proud Scot, who has dedicated his life to rural development in a global world, and who is a keen sailor. This has taught me to see life from the sea – and becoming a traveller – a nomad in the Nordics – always with music in our mind!
Related Research Projects
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Ongoing
- Robust Regional Preparedness
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Finished
- The Sustainable Hub to Engage in Rural Policies with Actors (SHERPA)
- Sino-European innovative green and smart cities (SiEUGreen)
- Advancing the bioeconomy transition in the Nordic Region (BioWiseTrans)
- TRIBORN- Triple Bottom Line Outcomes for Bioenergy Development and Innovation in Rural Norway
- Kicking off Bioeconomy in the North
- Rural attractiveness in Norden
- ESPON ESCAPE – European Shrinking Rural Areas Challenges, Actions and Perspectives for Territorial Governance
- Trend analysis for Bioeconomy in the Baltic Sea Region
- Carbon Neutral Islands
- BioBaltic – Nordic-Baltic cooperation within bio-circular-economy
- Nordic & Northwest Russia cooperation on wood and construction
- Nordic-Russian bioeconomy pre-study
- Food self-sufficiency in Nordic island societies: the current situation and the way forward
Related Publications
- Bioenergy Development in Finland and Sweden
- Bioenergy and rural development in Europe: Policy recommendations from the TRIBORN project
- Nordregio Strategy 2021-2024
- The Nordic Cooperation Programme for Regional Development and Planning 2017-2020
- Attractive Rural Municipalities in the Nordic countries: Jobs, People and Reasons for Success from 14 Case Studies
- Transition to a bioeconomy in Northwest Russia – current potential and challenges
- Selvforsyning af fødevarer i fem nordiske øsamfund
- State of the Nordic Region 2024
- Growing opportunities in Klaksvík
- Meet Lebesby – challenging but attractive place to live
- Vágur: Improving attractiveness through a change of image
Related News
- Nordregio at GreenLab Summit 2022
- Nordic City Network seminar for stronger cooperation and project planning
- SHERPA project working towards sustainable multi-actor platforms
- BioBaltic: Nordic-Baltic Cooperation on circular bioeconomy
- Nordregio Researchers at COP26
- “Country Road, Take Me Home? – Nordic Sustainable Economy”: New podcast with Nordregio Researchers
- Nordregio and SLU host a conference “Ruralities and Regions in Transition”
- Nordregio at Rural Research Day 2021
- Submit abstracts now: Ruralities and Regions in Transition, Sweden
- 5th March, Nordregio presents Nordic service collaboration in an OECD event
- 30 Nov-1 Dec: Long-term vision for rural areas, SHERPA
- Bioeconomy – a super force for the Nordic region?
- 26 October: Scottish and Nordic lessons on reversing depopulation
- Transition to a bioeconomy in Northwest Russia
- A Sustainable policy hub for rural actors – SHERPA
- Building a better future – the Nordic Way
- Alvdal is in the radar of Attractiveness project
- State of the Nordic Region presented in Brussels
- Nordregio researchers involved in a series of new publications
- Nordregio contributed to the OECD Rural Development Conference
- Making Europe – and especially rural areas – climate neutral
- Nordregio Hosts Norwegian and Swedish Ministries Working with Municipal Policies
- The future of food: Nordregio at Green Innovation Week 2024
- Nordregio and Austurbrú Sign MOU to Strengthen Collaboration in Regional Development
Related Events
- Ruralities and Regions in Transition
- Nordregio at the Finnish Rural Parliament 2021
- 26 October: Scottish and Nordic lessons on reversing depopulation
- Delivering green economies and skills for the future
- Conference “Regions – Catalysts of Lithuanian Bioeconomy development”
- BioWiseTrans Final Conference: “People and Networks Matter – Enabling Sustainable Bioeconomy Transition”
- Skills for resilient regions: Nordregio Forum 2019
- The Nordic Pavilion at COP24 – the UN Climate Summit
- Nordic Ruralities: 5th Nordic Conference for Rural Research
- COP26: Nordics are joining the COP with several events
- Launch: State of the Nordic Region 2024
Related Maps
- OECD House Price Index. Change 2020Q2–2021Q2
- Change in new registered cars 2019-2020
- Price development for Danish single-family homes
- Algae production in 2019
- Change in share of biofuels in transport from 2010 to 2018
- Share of biofuels in transport in 2018
- People employed in the bioeconomy excluding NACE sector A in 2017 and 2009-2017 change
- People employed in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors (NACE Sector A) in 2017 and 2009-2017 change
- People employed in the bioeconomy including NACE sector A in 2017 and 2009-2017 change
- Relative local employment effect 2008-2016