, ▁N U PI ▁has ▁t ended ▁to ▁be ▁perce ived ▁as ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁government ' s ▁views , ▁whether ▁the ▁government ▁has ▁been ▁Labour ▁or ▁Conserv ative , ▁center - left ▁or ▁center - right . ▁Several ▁of ▁its ▁direct ors ▁have ▁been ▁prominent ▁Labour ▁polit icians , ▁not ably ▁John ▁S ann ess , ▁Johan ▁J ør gen ▁Hol st ▁and ▁Jan ▁E gel and . ▁Three ▁of ▁its ▁other ▁research ers , ▁Anders ▁C . ▁S ja ast ad , ▁John ▁Krist en ▁Sk og an ▁and ▁Jan ne ▁Ha aland ▁Mat l ary , ▁have ▁been ▁members ▁of ▁Conserv ative ▁/ ▁center - right ▁or ▁cent rist ▁govern ments . ▁ ▁Organisation ▁ ▁Ul f ▁Sver d rup ▁has ▁served ▁as ▁director ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁The ▁inst itute ▁emp lo ys ▁research ▁profess ors ▁( cor respond ing ▁to ▁full ▁profess ors ), ▁senior ▁research ers ▁( cor respond ing ▁to ▁associate ▁profess ors ), ▁research ers ▁( cor respond ing ▁to ▁assistant ▁profess ors ), ▁and ▁non - ac ade mic ▁staff . ▁ ▁The ▁inst itute ▁is ▁organ ised ▁into ▁four ▁research ▁groups : ▁▁ ▁Research ▁group ▁for ▁Security ▁and ▁defence ▁( Head : ▁Kar sten ▁Fri is , ▁Ph D ) ▁ ▁Research ▁group ▁for ▁Russia , ▁Asia ▁and ▁International ▁Trade ▁( Head : ▁Hel ge ▁Bla kk is r ud , ▁Ph D ) ▁ ▁Research ▁group ▁for ▁Peace , ▁Conf lict ▁and ▁Development ▁( Head : ▁K ari ▁Os