He started his career as a journalist, and became the editor of foreign news in Arbeiderbladet. He took the dr.philos. degree in 1974 with the thesis Et statsmonopol blir til—Vinmonopolet frem til 1932. He worked as a lecturer at the University of Oslo from 1963 and as assisting professor from 1983. From 1978 to 1989 he was the director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute,[1] doubling as secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.[3]
^Bratberg, Terje (2007). "Sverdrup". In Henriksen, Petter (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 13 April 2009.