Tema: Understanding Tourist Intra‑Destination Travel Patterns Through Alternative Data Sources
Bakgrunn for oppgaven:
In many regions, the mobility patterns of tourists remain only partially understood, especially when it comes to how visitors move within a destination. Traditional data sources often fail to capture the complexity of intra‑destination travel, and as a result, transport service providers may struggle to adjust supply to actual needs. International research increasingly highlights the potential of alternative data sources, such as mobile positioning data, GPS traces, ticketing systems, or digital platforms, to improve understanding of tourist behaviour and support more sustainable mobility planning.
Oppgave:
This master’s thesis could investigate how alternative data sources can be used to map and model tourists’ intra‑destination travel patterns, and how these insights could help transport providers adapt services more effectively. The study could explore the strengths and limitations of different data types, methods for integrating heterogeneous datasets. It could also examine how improved modelling of tourist flows might support more sustainable transport strategies, using Nordland County as a case study to analyze real-world challenges and opportunities.
Passer til: Masteroppgave
Kontaktperson ved IBM: Trude Tørset
Evt. samarbeidspartner: Maria Diez (Sintef)
Tema: The domestication of ecological knowledge by land use planners
Bakgrunn og oppgaven:
This thesis could investigate how land use planners describe their use of ecological knowledge and how they make sense of it. Drawing on domestication theory, the thesis can explore land use planners’ practises and sense-making as well as involving cognitive activities related to learning of ecological knowledge. Ringeriksbanen or other processes within Ringeriksporteføljen can be a suitable case to study. Data sources can include planning reports, and interviews with relevant actors in the transport sector. The study can offer empirical insights into how ecological knowledge in perceived and used by land use planners, thus provide a basis for understanding challenges related to incorporating ecological nature in land use planning, cross-sector collaboration, and policy implementation.
Passer til: Masteroppgave
Kontaktperson ved IBM: Trude Tørset
Evt. samarbeidspartner: Susanne Jorgensen (Sintef)
Tema: How expertise is performed in land use/transport planning: An STS analysis of knowledge hierarchies
Bakgrunn og oppgaven:
Land use planning relies on multiple knowledges: scientific, economic, legal, and ecological expertise. Some knowledges “come to define the realities upon which land use decisions are made,” while others are “marginalized, ignored, or simply not produced.” This thesis could investigate the use of multiple knowledges, and particularly ecological knowledge, in land use planning processes (e.g. Ringeriksbanen or other processes within Ringeriksporteføljen). Data sources can include planning reports, and interviews with relevant actors in the transport sector. The study can offer empirical insights into how multiple knowledges are used in land use planning, and thus understanding of challenges.
Passer til: Masteroppgave
Kontaktperson ved IBM: Trude Tørset
Evt. samarbeidspartner: Susanne Jorgensen (Sintef)
Tema: Policy Analysis of the Decision-Making Process Surrounding Ringeriksbanen
Bakgrunn og oppgaven:
This thesis could investigate the policy-making and decision processes behind the Ringeriksbanen railway project, focusing on institutional dynamics, governance structures, and the interplay between political and administrative actors. Using a policy analysis framework—drawing on theories such as the multiple streams model, advocacy coalition framework, or institutional process theory—the study can map key decision points, stakeholder influence, and the evolution of project priorities over time. Data sources can include government documents, planning reports, parliamentary debates, and interviews with relevant actors in the transport sector. The analysis can evaluate how evidence, political agendas, budget constraints, and inter-agency coordination shaped the project’s trajectory. The study can offer insights into how large-scale infrastructure decisions are formed in the Norwegian political-administrative system and provide a basis for understanding challenges related to long-term planning, cross-sector collaboration, and policy implementation.
Passer til: Masteroppgave
Kontaktperson ved IBM: Trude Tørset
Evt. samarbeidspartner: Kristin Ystmark Bjerkan (Sintef)
Tema: Discourse Analysis of Public Debate on the Ringeriksbanen Development
Bakgrunn og oppgaven:
This thesis could explore how the development of the Ringeriksbanen railway project has been constructed and contested within Norwegian public discourse. Using a qualitative discourse analysis approach, the study can examine political speeches, media coverage, public consultations, and stakeholder statements. The analysis can identify dominant narratives—such as regional development, environmental concerns, economic efficiency, and national infrastructure priorities—and explore how these narratives compete to shape public understanding of the project. By applying theoretical frameworks from for instance critical discourse analysis, the study can study how power, legitimacy, and knowledge are negotiated in debates over major infrastructure projects. The findings can contribute to a deeper understanding of how transportation policy is communicated and framed in Norway, and how discourse influences both public opinion and political decision-making.
Passer til: Masteroppgave
Kontaktperson ved IBM: Trude Tørset
Evt. samarbeidspartner: Kristin Ystmark Bjerkan (Sintef)
Tema: Implementation of LULUCF
Bakgrunn og oppgaven:
We invite a Master thesis addressing implementation at the national or local level. One interesting research questions could be how the public administration at one or multiple levels views their sector's responsibility to contribute to the goals of the Nature Agreement. How are they working to stop biodiversity decline and restore ecosystems (if at all)? Another interesting question could be to compare its perceived relevance in comparison the Paris Agreement.
This study could adopt a governance-oriented perspective by examining how different public authorities interpret their role in contributing to environmental targets. With a focus on Norway and relevant European comparisons, this angle could explore how transport, infrastructure, and land-use authorities balance mobility needs or other needs with biodiversity protection.
Passer til: Masteroppgave
Kontaktperson ved IBM: Trude Tørset
Evt. samarbeidspartner: erlend.hermansen@cicero.oslo.no
Tema: Implementation of the Nature Agreement
Bakgrunn og oppgaven:
In 2022, the global biodiversity deal, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, was adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity at the UN biodiversity summit (COP15) in Montreal. It’s a global agreement to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 - similar in ambition to how the Paris Agreement targets climate change. We invite a Master thesis addressing implementation at the national or local level. One interesting research questions could be how the public administration at one or multiple levels views their sector's responsibility to contribute to the goals of the Nature Agreement. How are they working to stop biodiversity decline and restore ecosystems (if at all)? Another interesting question could be to compare its perceived relevance in comparison the Paris Agreement.
This study could adopt a governance-oriented perspective by examining how different public authorities interpret their role in contributing to environmental targets. With a focus on Norway and relevant European comparisons, this angle could explore how transport, infrastructure, and land-use authorities balance mobility needs or other needs with biodiversity protection.
Passer til: Masteroppgave
Kontaktperson ved IBM: Trude Tørset
Evt. samarbeidspartner: merethe.leiren@cicero.oslo.no
Andre mulige tema (hvert kulepunkt kan være utgangspunkt for en eller flere oppgaver):
Reisevaner:
- Kartlegging av turproduksjonstall knyttet til ulike type virksomheter
- Kartlegging og analyse av reisevaner for ulike befolkningsgrupper eller for næringstransport
- Metodikk for reisevaneundersøkelser
- Bruk av åpne data for informasjon om reisevaner
- Arealbrukens betydning for reisevaner
- Fritidsreiser og turisttrafikk
Regionale transportmodeller (RTM):
- Soneinndeling
- Rutevalg
- Korte turer
- Modellering av mikromobilitet
- Sammenligning med utenlandske transportmodeller
Bruk av digitale tvillinger innen transportanalyse
Usikkerhetsvurderinger i samfunnsøkonomiske analyser i transportsektoren
Forslag fra SINTEF (Maria Díez):
- Brukeratferd under 'disruptions' (gjelder også politiske virkemidler) som kan redusere transporttilgang. Intervjuer og undersøkelser (stated preference) for å forbedre vår kunnskap om konsekvensene av 'disruptions' i transporttilgjengelighet på brukeratferd, samt holdninger og mulige mobilitetsalternativer. Vurdere effektene av 'disruptions' på ulike deler av samfunnet, inkludert sårbare grupper og urbane versus landlige områder. Dette vil bidra til å identifisere mulige ulikheter i tilgang til transport og behov for målrettede tiltak for å sikre inkludering og like muligheter for alle samfunnsmedlemmer.
- Fremtidig flygende taxitjeneste. Spørreundersøkelser for å kartlegge hva folk tenker om en fremtidig flygende taxitjeneste, det kan vurdere også inkludere fokusgrupper eller individuelle intervjuer for å få en dypere forståelse. Videre vil det utføres analyser av eksisterende transportnettverk og infrastruktur for å vurdere mulighetene for integrasjon av den flygende taxitjenesten. Resultatene vil bidra til å identifisere nøkkelfaktorer som påvirker adopsjon og aksept av den nye tjenesten, samt å gi anbefalinger for effektiv integrasjon med eksisterende transportmidler.
- Bruk av ulike datakilder for å forstå reiseadferd. Litteraturgjennomgangen for å identifisere mulige datakilder og evaluere styrker og svakheter. I tillegg kunne dette inkludere innsamling og analyse av data fra noen kilder, for eksempel GPS-sporingssystemer, sosiale medier, eller IoT-enheter. Det kunne vurdere nøyaktigheten og egnethet av datakilde for å forstå reiseatferd. Dette vil bidra til å illustrere potensialet for å bruke flere datakilder for å forbedre forståelsen av reiseatferd og støtte informerte beslutninger innen transportplanlegging.