Kim Ekhaugen

Director of International Cooperation, Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service, Norway

Kim Ekhaugen has held the position as Head of International Cooperation in the Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service since 2014. This includes managing the EEA/Norway Grants for prison and probation service projects with a total value of 150 million EUR in 6 European countries – Romania, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic and Bulgaria. He is responsible for a bilateral programme with Russia, and a KDI project office in Ukraine. In addition to the abovementioned, Mr. Ekhaugen has the responsibility for the cooperation with USA through the joint programme with Amend, as well as overall international cooperation outside the given bilateral and multilateral agreements.

Mr. Ekhaugen has more than 30 years of experience from the Norwegian Correctional Service. His career includes working on all levels, starting as a prison officer, advancing to various management positions, including being a prison governor in Oslo prison (at that time the largest prison in Norway). Mr. Ekhaugen was also responsible for conducting a pilot project in a halfway house, focusing on interdisciplinary action between prison staff, probation staff and social workers. This model was introduced in year 2000 and became a model for all halfway houses in Norway. Mr. Ekhaugen has also held the position as lecturer at the University College of the Norwegian Correctional Service.

During the last 10 years, Mr. Ekhaugen has had an international career, which has included being seconded by the Norwegian MFA as Head of Mission to the Norwegian Rule of Law Mission to Moldova (Norlam) from 2010-2013. In Moldova, Mr. Ekhaugen was responsible for projects in the correctional field related to management and organizational structure, dynamic/organizational/static security, the role of prison officers and probation officers. Enhancing cooperation between prison and probation services were keywords, and establishing a pilot prison for minors with emphasis on European standards and values was his focus.

Mr. Ekhaugen likes to emphasize the principle of normality in the Norwegian Correctional Service, and is genuinely interested in making a difference to the better for people.