The Academy's International Committee

Academic diplomacy in a world on fire

Åpent

18.00 02/12/2025 20.00 02/12/2025

Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi

Practical information

The event is open for registration.

Venue: The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Drammensveien 78, Oslo.
Time: Tuesday December 2, 2025, 18:00 – 20:00

Registration

Contact person:
Eva Halvorsen
Email: eva.halvorsen@dnva.no

Academy’s International Committee

Mandate:
The international committee of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters shall support the Presidium in following up the Academy’s international engagement.
The committee shall ensure that:
• The Academy delivers on the Board-approved international strategy
• The Academy follows a consistent international approach with clear priorities
• The Academy is a member of the organizations considered most relevant according to the adopted strategy
• The Academy is represented in the organizations defined as most important according to the adopted strategy
• The Presidium of the Academy is relieved of case processing on international matters, with quarterly reporting
• International engagement strengthens democratic development through a focus on freedom of expression and academic freedom, research conditions, integrity, and funding
• The Academy is a member of, and benefits from, international organizations relevant to the science prizes administered by the Academy
• Information and materials from international organizations are made available to the members

Members of the Committee:

Camilla Serck-Hanssen, Professor of Philosophy, Director of CAS (Chair)
Camilla Brautaset, Dean, Professor of Modern Economic History, University of Bergen
Anne Husebekk, Professor of Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Inge Jonassen, Professor of Informatics, University of Bergen
Kenneth Ruud, Director-General, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment
Jarle Trondal, Professor of Political Science, University of Agder

Eva Halvorsen serves as Secretary to the Committee
(Eva.Halvorsen@dnva.no)

Threats, challenges and opportunities:
The role of academic institutions and their coalitions in a world on fire

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters' International Committee organises an interesting evening of lectures and discussion on academic diplomacy.

Practical information

The event is open for registration.

Venue: The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Drammensveien 78, Oslo.
Time: Tuesday December 2, 2025, 18:00 – 20:00

Registration

Contact person:
Eva Halvorsen
Email: eva.halvorsen@dnva.no

In recent years, it has become increasingly common to view academic institutions as a special type of diplomatic actors and practitioners of what is often called "academic diplomacy”. But what kind of diplomacy is academic diplomacy, and how does it complement or compete with diplomacy in a formal sense? What is the particular strength of academic institutions and networks as such diplomatic actors? What are good examples of successful academic diplomacy, and are the results unique and dependent on these types of diplomatic actors?

We want to encourage an informed debate on the phenomenon academic diplomacy, and we have invited two keynote speakers who are particularly well placed to understand it.

Keynote speakers

Hilligje van't Land, Secretary General for the International Association of Universities (IAU)
Robbert Dijkgraaf, president-elect of the International Science Council (ISC)

Dr. Hilligje van’t Land serves the global higher education community as Secretary General of the International Association of Universities (IAU) – a global NGO with UNESCO Associate Status. For the past two decades, she has fostered the key role of higher education in societal transformation. She supervises the overall programme activities at the IAU, develops the Association’s strategic plans and oversees the everyday work of the secretariat. She positioned the IAU as a UNESCO partner in work on Education for Sustainable Development and the Futures of Education Initiative, and is an advocate for higher education as a key stakeholder for the UN Agenda 2030 – Transforming our World. Hilligje van’t Land strongly believes in the importance of international cooperation and intercultural understanding and has developed multilateral projects supporting this vision.

Dr. van’t Land holds a PhD in comparative francophone literature, held T&L and Research positions at University of Groningen, the Netherlands, Université Laval, Québec – Canada, and Université d’Avignon et des Pays du Vaucluse, France.

Robbert Dijkgraaf is a Dutch theoretical physicist, mathematician and string theorist and former politician.
He served as the Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Netherlands from 2022 until 2024. From July 2012 until his inauguration as a minister, he had been the Director and Leon Levy professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and a tenured professor at the University of Amsterdam.
As of January 2025, Robbert is the President-elect of the International Science Council.

R Dijkgraaf — Robbert Dijkgraaf, President-elect of the International Science Council (ISC) is one of two key note speakers at the Academy's International Evening. (Photo: ISC)

Thoughts and reflections

Following the key note speakers we will have some thoughts and reflections from:

Håvard Hegre, The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). PRIO is a world-leading peace research organization, conducting cutting-edge research on the conditions for peaceful relations between states, groups and people.
Kai Eide, a Norwegian diplomat. He has worked with international security policy and crisis management for Norway, the UN, and NATO.

We will end the meeting with a panel discussion.

Moderator for the evening is Camilla Serck-Hanssen. She is Chair of the International Committee and Director for CAS – Center for Advanced Study.

After the meeting we will serve fingerfood and drinks.

Håvard Hegre, PRIO (Peace Research Institute Oslo) (Photo: PRIO)

Kai Eide, Norwegian diplomat (Foto: Private). — Kai Eide, former Norwegian diplomat and politician (Photo: Private)

Camilla Serck-Hanssen, Chair International Committee, Moderator (Foto: Private)

Program