Tobias Bach

Tobias Bach is a Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, and Deputy Director of the institute since 2024. He leads the research group Politikk, byråkrati og organisasjon and is involved in projects like KODEM (a national data infrastructure for social scientists) and Comparative Research on the Executive Triangle in Europe (CoREx). His work bridges academic research with public policy implementation.

• Education: PhD in Political Science (Dr. rer. pol.) from University of Potsdam (2013).

Research Interests: Tobias Bach’s research focuses on the interplay between political control and bureaucratic autonomy, meritocratic vs. politicized appointments, organizational change in government, and public trust in regulatory agencies. His comparative approach spans Norway, Germany, and other European countries, often utilizing survey experiments and longitudinal analyses.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow at the Hertie School (2015).
• Circle U. Chair of Democracy (2021-2023).
• Lead role in establishing KODEM, a national data infrastructure for social scientists (2024).

Selected Publications: His recent work examines the functional politicization of civil services, the competence and responsiveness of bureaucrats, and how organizational changes affect civil servant proactivity. These studies often involve cross-national collaborations and experimental designs.

Grants & Collaborations: Bach has secured significant grants for infrastructure development (KODEM) and participates in networks like The Blind Spots of Public Bureaucracy and Norsk Forvaltningspanel, which enable experimental and comparative analyses of public administration.