Born in Oslo, Norway (12/1949).
Graduated in law (1974) at the University of Oslo (cand.juris).
Dr.juris (1979) at the same University.
Professor of public law at the University of Oslo (1986- )
Director, Research Group on Constitutional (Norwegian and Comparative) Studies
Vice-Chair/Chair of the Division for Humanities and Social sciences, The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (2009-2014 )
Dr. h.c. (Uppsala)
Dr. h.c. (Univ. Aix-Marseille)
Dr. h.c. (København/Copenhagen)
Officier, Ordre des Palmes Académiques (France)
Chevalier, Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur (France)
Fluent in Norwegian, English and French (written and oral), unhampered access to Swedish and Danish, more limited access to some other languages (including German and Italian).
Numerous scholarly books and articles on domestic and comparative Constitutional law, Administrative law, Local government and Law related to "mixed economy". Publications mainly in Norwegian, English and French (but even translations into Chinese, Japanese, Lithuanian, Polish, Swedish, etc.). – complete list of publications
Vice-President, International Association of Constitutional Law
Member, Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and Chair of the Section for Humanities and social sciences
Member, Academia Europaea and Member of the Academy's Law Section Committee
Member, International Academy of Comparative Law
Member, European Group of Public Law/Groupe Européen de Droit Public
Member, Groupe d‘Etudes et de Recherches sur la Justice Constitutionnelle (France)
Member, Societas Iuris Publici Europaei (SIPE)
Visiting professor, guest lecturer, doctoral juries, etc. in a number of foreign countries including the Scandinavian countries, Finland, Iceland, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Malta, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the U.S.A., Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Tunisia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Visiting scholar i.a. at the Wolfson College, Cambridge (U.K.) and at the University of California at Berkeley (USA)
Vice-chair, Group of independent experts on the European Charter of Local Self- Government (Council of Europe)
Frequent Specialist to the Council of Europe, mainly on institutional issues like local self-government, parliamentarism, ombudsman institutions, judicial review …
Member of editorial boards, boards of research institutions, etc. in Norway and abroad
Organizer of a number of International Conferences, etc. on public law issues (including constitutional protection of human rights, the interpretation of Constitutions, the role of National parliaments in European integration, constitutional cultures, local autonomy, etc.), most often included subsequent publications.
Chair, Governmental Inquiry Commission for the Municipality of Oslo (1990-91)
Chair, Governmental Commission for the preparation of new legislation on the educational system of Norway (1993-95)
Chair, Independent Parliamentary Inquiry Commission for the Banking Crisis (1997- 98)
Chair, Independent Parliamentary Inquiry Commission for the New Oslo Airport (2000-2001)
Chair, Governmental Council on Secrecy and Research
Etc.
Member, Governmental Commission on the constitutional protection of the freedom of expression (1996-99)
Member, the National Competition Tribunal ("Prisrådet") (-1993)
Legal Counsellor for the Norwegian Research Council
Chairman of the Board, Institute for social research (Oslo)
Member, the Swedish Democracy Audit 1999, 2004 and 2007 (SNS, Stockholm)
Member, Steering group for the evaluation of Legal education in Denmark (Evalueringscenteret, Copenhagen)
Member, Steering group for the evaluation of research in Lithuania (Norwegian research council)
Member, International Evaluation Group for Public Law Research in Denmark
Member of different boards of the 'Riksbankens Jubileumsfond' (Sweden), presently of the International Panel on large programs
Etc.
Former Director (late 1980s and early 2000s), Institute of public and international law, University of Oslo
Former Director of Research, Institute for social research (Oslo)
Former Chair, Research Commission, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo
Former Chair, Commission for international relations of the Faculty of law
Former Member, Commission for international relations of the University of Oslo.
Research Director/Group Leader, Centre for Advanced Study at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (2001-2002)