معرفی
James Karlsen is a Full Professor in the Department of Working Life and Innovation at the University of Agder, Norway. He also holds senior research positions at Agderforskning and Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness, reflecting a strong transnational research profile in regional development and innovation. His work bridges academic inquiry with practical policy and community engagement, particularly through long-term action research initiatives.
His research focuses on territorial development, action research, regional innovation, and organizational learning. He emphasizes co-generative knowledge production, where researchers and regional actors collaboratively shape development processes. A key project is Gipuzkoa Sarean, a long-term action research initiative in the Basque Country. His recent work explores temporality in complex processes, emergent strategies in universities, and knowledge flows under the Norwegian VRI research programme.
The recent scholarly output shows a consistent focus on the intersection of higher education and regional development. Themes include the university’s third mission, engaged governance, co-creation with students, and the operationalization of innovation policy through collaborative research. His publications span books, book chapters, and high-impact journal articles that contribute to both theoretical and practical understandings of regional transformation.
- Scientific Awards: No specific awards mentioned in the provided text.
James Karlsen has advised on regional and industrial development at national, regional, and local levels in Norway, including roles in the Ministry for Local Government and Modernisation and as Chief County Planning Officer in Finnmark. His academic work is deeply informed by this practical experience. He has co-authored a major book, Territorial Development and Action Research: Innovation through Dialogue (2015), and numerous articles on regional innovation systems, policy learning, and university engagement. He collaborates extensively with scholars like Miren Larrea, Romulo Pinheiro, and Arne Isaksen. No direct mention of PhD or master’s students is found.
He is actively involved in transformative research labs and networks connecting Norway and the Basque Country. His current research under the VRI programme examines knowledge flows between organizations, continuing his focus on linking academic research with regional innovation ecosystems. His work is central to understanding how universities can act as agents of change in peripheral and complex regional contexts.
