Remembering Holger Bernt Hansen // Mindeord om Holger Bernt Hansen
(Dansk oversættelse nedenfor)
Obituary
Professor Emeritus, Dr. Phil. Holger Bernt Hansen passed away on August 20, 2025, at the age of 89. He played a key role in the establishment and development of the Centre of African Studies (CAS) at the University of Copenhagen, serving as director from 1992. Although Holger officially retired in 2006, he remained affiliated with and actively engaged in the center until the very end.
Holger’s impact on knowledge and capacity building, dissemination, and policy related to Africa cannot be overstated. He possessed a unique combination of qualities: charisma, intellectual curiosity, hard work, pragmatism, networking skills, vision, openness, attentiveness, communication talent, and above all, kindness. These were qualities Holger brought into play and inspired others to engage with.
This meant that colleagues and the university leadership supported Holger’s idea of establishing CAS in 1984 as a meeting place for Africanist scholars at the university and more broadly in Denmark. In 1992 Holger became director and professor, coming from a similar position at the Department of Political Science. At the beginning CAS focused on academic knowledge exchange. Holger’s flagship initiative was launching the regular Africa seminars, which still exist today, featuring primarily international scholars. Holger’s international status stemmed from a comprehensive and groundbreaking academic production, rooted in three years of fieldwork in Uganda in the mid-1960s. Holger was invited to speak at leading Africa-related conferences around the world. .
Holger was committed to strengthening Danish capacity for knowledge production related to Africa. He initiated educational programs, initially aimed at upgrading the Danish Africa resource base. Later, he laid the foundation for a two-year master’s program at CAS. The program was ahead of its time, offering an area studies program based on interdisciplinarity, which later became a model for other master’s programs at Danish universities.
Alongside his role as professor and CAS director, Holger was a dynamic force in the development of Danish development initiatives and policies. He held key advisory positions in leading NGOs such as the Danish Mission Council, Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, and DanChurchAid.
Holger’s influence on Danish development research and policy was immense, with over 20 years as a member of Danida’s board, including ten years as chair of the Council for International Development Cooperation from 2005 to 2012. During this time, he was dubbed the “shadow development minister.” He also served on the Council for Development Research and the board of the Danish Institute for International Studies. For nearly 20 years, he chaired the Danida Fellowship Centre, playing a central role in collaboration and especially in nurturing young African researchers.
Holger’s communication skills were exceptional, and he relished the role. This resulted in countless appearances in Danish media for over more than five decades. He was beloved for his consistently sharp analyses delivered in accessible language. Holger was always willing to engage, whether with a school student, a minister, or anyone in between, who wanted to learn about Africa. He remained constantly informed and updated on new developments across the African continent and its global context. Until shortly before his death, Holger continued to give lectures on Africa, always well-prepared, as he never took any task lightly.
Holger has left an indelible African imprint in Denmark like no other, and he will undoubtedly remain a reference point for many years to come.
Nekrolog
Professor emeritus, dr.phil. Holger Bernt Hansen døde den 20. august 2025, 89 år gammel. Han spillede en helt central rolle i etableringen og udviklingen af Center for Afrikastudier (CAS) på København Universitet, hvor han fra 1992 og frem til han gik på pension i 2006 var centerleder. I tiden efter blev Holger ved med at være et stort aktiv for CAS, og mange andre, hvilket han var helt indtil den sidste tid.
Holgers betydning for videns- og kapacitetsopbygning, formidling og politikker i relation til Afrika kan ikke overvurderes.
Holger fik ideen til CAS, der i samarbejde med flere kolleger blev etableret i 1984. I første omgang fungerede centret som et mødested for akademisk vidensudveksling om Afrika. Flagskibet var afrikaseminarerne med gæsteoptræden af primært internationale forskere. Holgers internationale tiltrækningskraft skyldtes hans omfattende og banebrydende akademiske produktion. Fundamentet blev skabt i Uganda med 3 års feltarbejde i midten af 1960’erne. Holger blev inviteret til Afrika konferencer overalt i verden.
Da Holger i 1992 blev centerleder og professor (han kom fra en tilsvarende position på statskundskab), blev den danske kapacitetsopbygning og vidensproduktion relateret til Afrika intensiveret. Det skete såvel med en opgradering af den danske Afrika resoursebase samt med etableringen af en toårig kandidatuddannelse i afrikastudier på CAS. Uddannelsen var forud for sin tid med et områdestudie baseret på tværfaglighed, der dannede forbillede og var inspiration for andre kandidatuddannelser ved danske universiteter.
Sideløbende med sin indsats på CAS var Holger en dynamisk kraft i udviklingen af dansk udviklingsarbejde, -forskning og -politik, hvor han besad centrale poster i toneangivende NGO’er som eksempelvis Dansk Missionsråd, Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke og Folkekirkens Nødhjælp. Han sad også i Rådet for U-landsforskning og bestyrelsen for Dansk Institut for Internationale Studier, og næsten 20 år som forperson for Danida Fellowship Centre, hvor han var optaget af samarbejdet og ikke mindst talentudvikling af unge forskere fra Afrika.
Holgers betydning for dansk udviklingsforskning og udviklingspolitik var enorm med over 20 års medlemskab af styrelsen i Danida, med ti år som forperson med samme rolle for Rådet for Internationalt Udviklingssamarbejde i perioden fra 2005-2012. Holger fik i perioden prædikatet skyggeudviklingsminister.
Holgers formidlingstalent var usædvanligt og han nød rollen. Det udmøntede sig i utallige optrædener i danske medier i mere end fem årtier. Han var respekteret for altid at levere skarpe analyser i et letforståeligt sprog. Holger stillede beredvilligt op om det var skoleeleven, ministeren eller dem imellem. Og man kunne regne med at han altid var opdateret om de nyeste udviklingstendenser. Holger holdt foredrag indtil kort tid før han døde, altid velforberedt, for Holger tog ingen opgaver let.
Holger har sat et Afrika aftryk i Danmark som ingen andre, og han vil utvivlsomt være et referencepunkt mange år frem i tiden.