Board Member Bios
Trine Skei Grande (Chair)
Trine Skei Grande has a background as a politician, representing the Liberal Party in Norwegian Parliament since 2001. She stepped down in 2020 after ten years as party Chair and Leader of the party parliamentary group, but maintained her seat in Parliament until the 2021 election. She was a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, the Committee on Education and Research, and has served as both Minister of Culture and Gender Equality and Minister of Education. She is currently the Director of the Norwegian Publishers Association.
Elisabeth Heggelund Tørstad (Deputy Chair)
Elisabeth Tørstad is seasoned business leader and board professional, coming from the role of CEO of Asplan Viak AS. Elisabeth has held various international leadership positions in sectors such as maritime, oil and gas, renewable energy and the construction industry. She is a graduate of MSc in Physics at the University of Oslo and has also been educated as a construction engineer and business economist.
Niklas Bremberg
Niklas Bremberg is Associate Professor at Department of Political Science at Stockholm University and Senior Associate Research Fellow at the Europe Programme at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. He holds a PhD in political science from Stockholm University.
Kari Steen-Johnsen
Kari Steen-Johnsen is Research Professor at the Institute for Social Research. She completed her master’s degree in sociology at the University of Oslo in 1998, and her PhD at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in 2004.
Ragnhild Helene Hennum
Ragnhild Hennum is the newly elected Rector at the University of Oslo, taking up the position 1 August 2025, coming from the role of Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Oslo. She holds a doctorate and an LLM from the University of Oslo. Hennum has also served as Director of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, and as the University of Oslo’s acting Pro-Rector and Vice-Rector, as well as President of the Norwegian Women’s Lobby.
Marianne Dahl
Marianne Dahl is Research Director for the Department of Conflict Patterns and Environments at PRIO. She completed her master’s degree in political science at the University of Oslo in 2009, and her PhD at the Faulty of Social and Educational Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 2017. Marianne Dahl is employee representative on the PRIO Board.
Nicholas Marsh
Nicholas Marsh is Senior Researcher at PRIO. He completed his Master’s degree in international conflict analyses at the University of Kent in 1995 and was awarded the degree of dr. philos by the Department of Political Science at the University of Oslo in 2020. Nicholas Marsh is employee representative on the PRIO Board.
Deputy Board Member Bios
Mani Hussaini
Mani Hussaini is a labour party politician and current member of the Norwegian Parliament for Akershus 2021-2025. He was the Chair of the Worker’s Youth League until 2018. Mani Hussaini has studied innovation and technology at the University of Oslo.
Stein Hernes
Stein Hernes is Vice President Political and Public Affairs in Equinor. He has experience from NATO, Statkraft, Ministry of Petroleum & Energy, Norwegian Parliament and the Office of the Prime Minister of Norway.
Tuomas Forsberg
Tuomas Forsberg is a Professor of International Relations at Tampere University. He was also a Director of the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (2018-2023). Forsberg has worked as the acting director and senior research fellow of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. He earned a licentiate in social sciences at the University of Helsinki in 1995 and received his PhD from University of Wales in Aberystwyth in 1998.
Audun Fladmoe
Audun Fladmoe is Research Professor at the Institute for Social Research. His research centers on civil society, freedom of speech and the support for welfare services.
Arnfinn Haagensen Midtbøen
Arnfinn Haagensen Midtbøen is Professor at the Department of Sociology and Human Geography at the University of Oslo. His research centers on immigration, integration and ethnic inequality.
Kristoffer Lidén
Kristoffer Lidén is Research Director for the Dimension of Security department at PRIO. He holds a PhD in Philosophy. He is a deputy employee representative on the PRIO Board.
Marta Bivand Erdal
Marta Bivand Erdal is Research Professor at PRIO. She holds a PhD in human geography from the University of Oslo. She is a deputy employee representative on the PRIO Board.
