Expert speakers from around the world will take part in Firths and Fjords: A Coastal History Conference.
The topics to be discussed include Norse place names in Gaelic-speaking areas, the salt industry in Brora and witchcraft.
It has been organised by the University of the Highlands and Islands' Centre for History.
More than 70 delegates from across the UK and also from Finland, Canada and US will attend the conference from 31 March to 2 April.
The event will also feature visits to historic Royal Dornoch Golf Club and a guided tour of Pictish sites at Fearn.
An international conference focusing on the history of coastal areas will be held in Dornoch next month.