Thor Heyerdahl, a Norwegian explorer (1914-2002) born in Larvik, Norway, crossed many bodies of water and understood early on the need for migration. He rose to international fame because of his success with many brave expeditions, in collaboration with international teams. He was a citizen of the world focusing on global efforts to protect and conserve the environment. His understanding of and ability to engage in dialogue between people from different cultures, his dissemination of information about global challenges, and his strong will to challenge people to debate across established scientific boundaries were crucial attributes to his success.
Since 2002-2024 the Thor Heyerdahl Institute has initiated and carried out a series of national, international, regional, and local projects. It has accumulated a project portfolio over the course of many years and has gained experience from a variety of interdisciplinary activities in cooperation with universities, public administration, departments, embassies, and other organizations in Norway and abroad.
Event Details
November 5-6, 2025
Augsburg University
Migration: Building a Better Future
The Role of Higher Education in Successful Immigration Stories.
Past. Present. And Future
The two-day event will be held at Augsburg University in collaboration with the Thor Heyerdahl Institute (Vestfold Museums), alongside Vestfold and Telemark County Councils, and the Norwegian Crossing Committee. The event will include breakout sessions, panels, speakers, and art-and-culture-related performances. The event invites the participation of college students from multiple campuses, as well as youth groups and high school students in the Twin Cities area.
The Thor Heyerdahl International Days event is also collaborating with the 5 additional sister universities (Augustana, Concordia, Luther, Pacific Lutheran, and St. Olaf) in the United States.