Professor Nicholas Burns
Nicholas Burns is the Goodman Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He is the Founder and Faculty Chair of the Program on Diplomacy and Statecraft, Vice Chairman of the Cohen Group and Co-Chair of the Aspen Strategy Group and Aspen Security Forum. He is also a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
Nicholas Burns worked in the United States government for over three decades, serving six presidents and nine secretaries of state. Most recently he served as U.S. Ambassador to China from 2021 to 2025, where he led public servants from forty-eight U.S. government agencies at the U.S. mission to China in overseeing one of America's most important and challenging bilateral relationships.
During his career, he also served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador to NATO and Special Assistant to the President for Russia and Ukraine Affairs at the National Security Council. Ambassador Burns has been honored with numerous awards, including the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and he holds degrees from Boston College and Johns Hopkins University.
Stiftelsen Olav & Oddvar Dyviks Minnefond
Stiftelsen Olav & Oddvar Dyviks Minnefond is a Norwegian civil liberties foundation whose primary mandate is to promote and protect freedom and democracy. It was established in 2002 to honour the two brothers Olav and Oddvar who lost their lives as leaders in the Norwegian Resistance Movement against the Nazi occupation in Southern Norway (Sørlandet). At the time of the German invasion on 9th April 1940, Olav was Chief Editor of the family-owned newspaper Grømstadposten and Oddvar was a student in philology at the University of Oslo. Their life-long dedication to the free exchange of ideas, democratic values, and transatlantic partnership continue to inspire. The memorial lecture series brings together leading voices in diplomacy, state craft and international and security affairs to carry forward that legacy - and to seek to answer the questions our times demand of us.
Presented in collaboration with
- Universitetet i Oslo (UiO)
- Civita
- Den Norske Atlanterhavskomité (DNAK)
- Norge-Amerika Foreningen (NORAM)
- Norges Forsvarsforening (NFF)
- Harvard University Alumni Club of Norway
The art in the University Aula
The world-famous paintings in the University Aula tell stories of the university and the sciences – and of the sun as a symbol of life and creative forces.
They offer an intimate and monumental experience of Edvard Munch's characteristic imagery and use of colours, and hang in the very spot where Munch organised and painted them over a hundred years ago.
Read more about the art in the University Aula on our website.
Reservations
- Tickets for this event are free of charge, but you need to register and reserve a ticket. Seating is limited.
- Doors open at 18:30.
- The lecture starts at 19:00 and lasts until 20:30.
Practical information
If you need an elevator or any other type of accessibility when visiting us, please call this number: 90 13 17 55.
Important! Due to the art, it is not allowed to bring food and drinks into the Aula. We also ask that you hang your outerwear in the cloakroom. Therefore, please arrive well in advance before the event starts.
About the University Aula
On Universitetsplassen in the center of Oslo, there are three beautiful old buildings, and Domus Media is located in the middle. Inside this building is the Aula. The University of Oslo's prestigious banquet hall has been hosting art and cultural experiences for over 100 years, and some of our best performers are still on stage here. The program in the Aula also includes lectures, literary conversations, and "Open Aula". Here, you can explore the 11 original Munch paintings that adorn the hall.
Curious about what's happening here? Follow "Universitetet i Oslo - UiO" on Facebook for exciting updates.