Henrik Lindegaard Andersen is an economist with a PhD in Economics, specialising in quantitative impact evaluation, and has nearly 20 years of experience in applied research and analytical work in Denmark and Norway. His main areas of research include the labour market, education, health, integration and social inclusion, regional development, and the green energy transition. His research and analytical work combines economic questions with statistical methods, administrative and survey data, as well as evaluations and impact assessments of policies, programmes and reforms.
Henrik is currently involved in the "Helt I mål"-project, where he leads the work package evaluating participants’ progression, the effects of a supported and supervised work scheme ("Arbeidsledermodellen") and its wider socioeconomic benefits. The project develops and evaluates a model that supports people who are outside education and employment in gaining qualifications and entering municipal health and care services. The evaluation combines surveys, interviews and administrative register data to examine participants’ pathways into education, vocational qualifications and sustained employment. Kristiansand Municipality leads the project, with NORCE responsible for the research.
He also leads the GET Engaged research and collaboration project, in which NORCE, the University of Stavanger and 15 local authority partners are investigating how residents are involved when land and marine areas are to be used for new energy projects, such as wind farms. The project will test new methods of public participation, quantify the monetary value that residents place on nature, landscapes and local areas, and examine how compensation for those affected influences perceptions of social justice.
In recent years, he has studied refugee integration through international research projects involving partners from England, the Nordic countries and the Baltic states. Among other topics, he has examined how neighbourhoods, segregation, local labour markets and financial incentives affect refugees’ labour market participation and earnings in Norway. He has also investigated how settlement in less central municipalities affects refugees’ subsequent mobility and emigration from Norway. In addition, he has contributed to an impact evaluation of the Norwegian Introduction Programme. The study found no clear association between longer participation in the programme and subsequent labour market outcomes.
Another topic he has explored with colleagues is how businesses and local communities can recruit and retain the workers they need. Among other findings, the RECRUIT project showed that workers who had recently moved to Agder and had no previous ties to the region were highly mobile. In subsequent projects, he has contributed to further research into what enables new workers to establish themselves, develop a sense of belonging to their local community, and choose to remain in the area over time.
His previous research has addressed topics including the relationship between mental health and labour market participation, employment measures for the long-term unemployed, sickness absence, vocational education and training, the transition into employment for disadvantaged young people, and the efficiency of public services.
His methodological expertise lies particularly in impact evaluation, quasi-experimental research designs, applied statistics and econometrics. He has extensive experience in the quantitative analysis of administrative register data, which makes it possible to follow individuals over many years and link information from a wide range of public registers using unique personal identification numbers. He has also worked with economic valuation, benchmarking and efficiency analysis, as well as systematic literature reviews and evidence mapping. His work includes both international peer-reviewed research and applied research and consultancy reports.
