Torben Birch-Thomsen

Torben Birch-Thomsen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management within the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on environmental and socioeconomic dimensions of land use change across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, with particular emphasis on East and Southern Africa. Current leadership roles include coordination of the Danida-funded RUL4CLI project (2022-2027) examining rural-urban climate resilience in Tanzania.

His educational background includes an M.Sc. in Geography (1988) and PhD in Tropical Agriculture Geography (1994), both from the University of Copenhagen. Professional development spans over 30 years of interdisciplinary research, including mentorship roles within the Higher Education Teaching Programme at the Faculty of Science since 2004.

Research centers on farming systems, natural resource management, and rural-urban linkages, with recent work analyzing climate adaptation strategies in emerging Tanzanian urban centers. His 114 research outputs (including 48 journal articles) reveal sustained focus on longitudinal livelihood studies, water governance, and shifting cultivation dynamics since 2010, with increasing emphasis on climate resilience frameworks post-2020.

• Chairman of 8 PhD assessment committees at University of Copenhagen
• External examiner for PhD theses at Mzumbe University (Tanzania) and Rhodes University (South Africa)
• Supervisor of 23 MSc and 3 PhD candidates across Denmark and Tanzania
• 12 Assistant Professors mentored in pedagogical development

Fieldwork spans 40+ periods in Tanzania/Zambia, 15+ in South Africa, and significant work in Solomon Islands, Malaysia, Cambodia, and West Africa. Major projects include ENRECA (1990-2000), SASA (1994-1999), SLUSE (1998-2007), CLIP (2006-2007), and current RUL4CLI (2022-2027) with DKK 5.5 million Danish funding.