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Hjalti Nielsen

Head of Department

Institute leader and senior researcher

Email: hjalti.nielsen@inn.no
Phone number: +47 62 43 01 94
Mobile number: +47 46 41 77 76

Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology
Department of Agricultural Sciences
Campus Blæstad

Short description

I have a PhD in social and economic geography from Lund University. In my doctoral research, I explored how knowledge-intensive firms in peripheral areas compensate for the absence of local agglomeration advantages and long distances to relevant client- and knowledge markets, and ultimately compete successfully with similar firms in large and distant client markets.

I have broad work experience both within and outside academia. I have participated in international research projects and have worked as a researcher at both Lund University and the University of Iceland. I have designed, organised, coordinated and carried out research projects and fieldwork in different countries/regions. Being a geographer, my research focus has been very much on the interaction between a) what, why and how regional actors do things and b) the structures they are influenced by (and influence back to a certain extent). Among topics in my research have been agency-structure interactions, innovation and innovation systems, opportunity spaces, sectoral value creation and value creating processes, competitiveness, regional path developments and the role of universities and support organizations, regional planning, digitalization and abilities to interact and create value over distance, green transitions.

Although I am interested in studying the mechanisms that affect regional development from a broad perspective in all types of regions (large, medium, small, peripheral, central etc.), I am most interested in exploring regional development opportunities in peripheral and semi-peripheral regions. As an example in ageing regions that have to some extent lost both people and economic foothold in recent decades.

I started to work for The Eastern Norway Research Institute as a senior researcher in 2023 and have had the role as a constituted institute leader since January 2025. I sit at the Hamar office.

Projects

ReGrow - Regional growth against all odds

Research groups

Smarter Greener Innovation (SGI)

Grillitsch, Markus; Rekers, Josephine; Asheim, Bjørn Terje; Fitjar, Rune Dahl; Haus-Reve, Silje & Kolehmainen, Jari [Show all 15 contributors for this article] (2024). Patterns of opportunity spaces and agency across regional context : Conditions and drivers for change. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space. ISSN 0308-518X. doi: 10.1177/0308518X241303636. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Non-metropolitan regions are considered more exposed to external shocks than their metropolitan counterparts, while having lower capacities to change. However, there is considerable variation among non-metropolitan regions. We argue that this variation can be captured theoretically by modelling the dynamic interplay between perceived and real opportunity spaces and agency. We empirically analyse regional change processes in 12 regions in the Nordics over a period of 30 years with a unique dataset. We find patterns of opportunity spaces and agency, which allow theoretical reflections about conditions and drivers for change, and has implications for place-based regional policy.
Kurikka, Heli; Kolehmainen, Jari; Sotarauta, Markku; Nielsen, Hjalti & Nilsson, Magnus (2021). Regional opportunity spaces – Observations from Nordic regions. Regional studies. ISSN 0034-3404. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2022.2107630. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

Graarud, Håvard Rønningen; Knutsen, Heidi; Bern, Aleksander; Malasevska, Iveta & Nielsen, Hjalti (2024). Landbruket i Agder - Beregninger av verdiskaping i landbruk og landbruksbasert virksomhet i Agder. NIBIO. ISSN 9788217036005. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Det er gjennomført verdiskapingsberegninger for landbruk og landbruksbaserte næringer i Agder med utgangspunkt i data for 2022. Formålet med prosjektet er å gi kunnskap om verdiene som blir skapt i primærproduksjonen og ved foredling av landbruksvarer. Samlet verdiskaping i Agder fra jordbruk, skogbruk, landbruksbaserte tilleggsnæringer og landbruksavhengig industri var på 2,16 mrd. kr. i 2022. Det utgjør 1,5 prosent av det samlede bruttoproduktet fra alle næringer i Agder.
Rye, Siv Karin Paulsen; Hjelt, Anna Landrø; Knutsen, Heidi; Bern, Aleksander; Malasevska, Iveta & Nielsen, Hjalti (2024). Verdiskaping og sysselsetting i landbruk i Nord-Norge. Oppdaterte beregninger basert på tall fra 2022. NIBIO. ISSN 9788217036401. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Landbruk og landbruksbasert virksomhet har stor betydning for verdiskaping og sysselsetting i mange kommuner i Nord-Norge. I dette prosjektet er det gjennomført oppdaterte beregninger av verdiskaping fra landbruk og landbruksbasert industry for de tre fylkene I Nord-Norge. Samlet verdiskaping (bruttoprodukt) fra landbruksbasert primærnæring utgjør 2 mrd. kr for Nordland, 756,3 mill. kr for Troms og 289,7 mill. kr for Finnmark. I alt utgjør bruttoproduktet fra landbruksbasert primærnæring og landbruksbasert industri 2,3 mrd. kr for Nordland, 1,3 mrd. kr for Troms og 413,7 mill. kr for Finnmark.
Knutsen, Heidi; Gran, Erik; Bern, Aleksander; Malasevska, Iveta & Nielsen, Hjalti (2024). Oppdaterte berekningar av verdiskaping i landbruk og landbruksbasert verksemd i Rogaland. NIBIO. ISSN 9788217035961. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Landbruk og landbruksbasert verksemd er viktig for sysselsetting og verdiskaping i mange kommunar i Rogaland. I denne rapporten vert oppdaterte berekningar av verdiskaping frå landbruk og landbruksbasert industri i Rogaland presenterte. Samla verdiskaping frå jordbruk, skogbruk, tilleggsnæring og den landbruksbaserte industrien som er avhengig av landbruket i Rogaland, var 9,6 mrd. kr i 2022.

View all works in NVA

Addresses

Postal Address

University of Inland Norway
Postboks 400 Vestad
2418 Elverum
Norway