Knut Heidar (born 29 April 1949) is a Norwegian political scientist.

He was born in Moss. He has a PhD from London School of Economics, and was hired at the University of Oslo in 1975. He was promoted to associate professor in 1980 and professor in 1992.^[1] He was the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 2007.^[2] Fanny Duckert took over on 1 January 2012.^[3]

Heidar edited the journal Scandinavian Political Research from to 1990 to 1993. His main field of research is political parties and party systems.^[1] He is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.^[4]

• Norske politiske fakta 1884-1982: Universitetsforlaget 1983.
• Partidemokrati på prøve. Norske partieliter i demokratisk perspektiv: Universitetsforlaget 1988.
• with Einar Berntzen. Vesteuropeisk politikk. Partier Regjeringsmakt Styreform: Universitetsforlaget, editions 1993, 1995 and 1998.
• with Lars Svåsand (ed.): Partiene i en brytningstid (1994)
• with Lars Svåsand (ed.): Partier uten grenser? (1997)
• with Lars Svåsand: «Nordiske partiers samarbeidsmønstre - med hverandre og med Europa», i Johan P. Olsen og Bjørn Otto Sverdrup (ed.): Europa i Norden. Europeisering av nordisk samarbeid (1998)
• with Ruud Koole (ed.). Parliamentary Party Groups in European Democracies. Political parties behind closed doors: Routledge, London 2000.
• with Peter Esaiasson (ed.). Beyond Westminster and Congress. The Nordic Experience: Ohio State University Press 2000.
• «Norway», Elites on Trial: Westview Press 2001.
• with Jo Saglie. Hva skjer med partiene?: Gyldendal Akademisk 2002. Makt- og demokratiutredningen.
• (ed.), Nordic politics. Comparative approaches: Norwegian University Press, 2004.
• with Einar Berntzen and Elisabeth Bakke (ed.): Politikk i Europa: Partier, regjeringsmakt, styreform, Universitetsforlaget, 2008.