Norway’s higher education sector operates at the intersection of open research, international collaboration, sensitive personal data, and increasingly complex digital infrastructure. Universities and colleges must balance academic openness with strict regulatory obligations, protect research assets, and ensure resilient operations for students and staff alike. The security leaders below stand out for shaping information security programs that support education and research while managing real-world risk across large, decentralized institutions.
Zoya Shah Ph.D. — Chief Information Security Officer, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences
Zoya Shah brings a rare combination of scientific research background, public-sector security leadership, and executive governance experience into higher education. With prior leadership roles across national agencies, media, and consulting, the approach to security emphasizes structured risk management, crisis preparedness, and leadership accountability. A strong foundation in safety analysis and systems thinking supports security programs that align academic freedom with institutional resilience.
Lars Torpe — Chief Information Security Officer, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
Lars Torpe’s career spans decades of infrastructure, identity, and security leadership across finance, public sector, and higher education environments. With deep experience in authentication, fraud prevention, and large-scale service delivery, the focus is on building reliable, scalable security foundations for academic institutions. A strong operational background ensures security controls are grounded in how universities actually function day to day.
Anette Thorkildsen — Chief Information Security Officer, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Anette Thorkildsen brings extensive experience from defense, national security, and university environments into the higher education sector. Her leadership approach reflects strong governance, regulatory awareness, and operational discipline shaped by both military and academic contexts. Anette’s background supports security programs that address research integrity, data protection, and institutional trust.
Stian Husemoen — Chief Information Security Officer, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Stian Husemoen combines long-standing technical depth with senior leadership experience in research-intensive environments. With a background in system design, automation, teaching, and digital security leadership, the approach emphasizes resilience through architecture, operational clarity, and practical security engineering. Deep familiarity with academic technology environments allows security to be embedded directly into research and education platforms.
Johanne Warberg Lavold — Chief Information Security Officer, University of Agder
Johanne Warberg Lavold brings a strong people- and research-oriented perspective to university security leadership. Her experience spanning privacy in research, organizational development, and public-sector advisory roles informs a security posture closely aligned with academic operations. Her focus on governance, collaboration, and cultural adoption supports sustainable security practices across teaching and research environments.
Erik Nyberg Skilnand — Chief Information Security Officer, BI Norwegian Business School
Erik Nyberg Skilnand’s background bridges physical security, high-security government environments, and modern information security governance. Experience across access control, electronic security systems, and regulatory frameworks informs a comprehensive view of institutional protection. This perspective supports higher education environments where digital, physical, and organizational security must work together seamlessly.
Securing Openness in Academic Institutions
Higher education security is defined by tension: openness versus protection, collaboration versus control, and innovation versus compliance. The leaders featured here operate in environments where research, teaching, and international engagement depend on trust and continuity. Their work demonstrates how effective security leadership in academia is less about restriction and more about enabling institutions to operate safely, openly, and sustainably in a highly connected world.