Abstract
The first formal meeting of Nordic professors in pulmonary medicine took place in Gothenburg in December 1995. In Reykjavik in June 2003, the laws and statutes of the Nordic Respiratory Academy (NORA) were approved, and the first board was elected. NORA aimed to improve education, research, and clinical practice and became a meeting place for building friendships and exchange of ideas among academic teachers in pulmonary medicine in the Nordic region. The meetings initiated cooperative research among the university departments of respiratory medicine, and NORA reestablished the Nordic chest physicians' own pulmonary medical journal with roots in the Nordic region. Until 2025, 20 NORA meetings have been held. Its future depends on the perceived need for such a meeting place and academics that are willing to continue organizing and using this institution as a think tank.