Sissel Hovik

Sissel Hovik serves as Professor in Organization and Management at Oslo Business School within the Faculty of Social Sciences at Oslo Metropolitan University, affiliated with the Public Administration and Governance division. Holding a Dr.polit degree in political science from the University of Oslo (2001), she previously worked as a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research from 1986 to 2009. Her teaching focuses on public policy, collaboration, and governance frameworks across governmental levels.

Education Background:

• Dr.polit in Political Science, University of Oslo (2001)

Research Expertise: Professor Hovik specializes in network governance, multilevel governance, and participatory democracy, with thematic emphases on environmental resource management and urban development. Her current research probes digital-age citizen participation in urban planning, analyzing how ICT and social media reshape democratic engagement. She simultaneously investigates mandated intergovernmental collaboration reforms, examining implementation challenges and policy effects across central, regional, and local authorities in Norway's governance landscape.

Publication Trends: Recent works (2022-2025) reveal dual research streams: digital governance innovations in urban contexts and environmental policy implementation. Her scholarship consistently bridges theoretical governance frameworks with empirical Norwegian case studies, particularly examining e-participation mechanisms, organizational complexity in boundary-spanning initiatives, and sectoral policy integration under EU directives like the Water Framework Directive.

Research Leadership: As principal investigator for the DEMUDIG project (Democratic Urban Development in the Digital Age), she directs empirical studies on ICT-mediated citizen participation in urban governance. Her collaborations span institutions including NMBU and international partners, focusing on participatory channel effectiveness and democratic legitimacy in digital urban planning processes.

Research Ecosystem: Professor Hovik actively contributes to the KlimaVel research group and the Organization and Management in the Public Sector initiative, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to governance challenges. Her work within OsloMet's Public Administration and Governance division integrates environmental, urban, and digital governance perspectives through regular seminars and cross-departmental projects.