Conferment ceremony programme
The conferment ceremony will take place on 16–18 August 2024.
Monday, 12 August
Dance rehearsals
Place and time: Theatre Academy’s main building Kookos
Time: At 18:00–20:00
The programme for the conferment dinner includes academic ballroom dances, so we recommend that you attend a dance rehearsal. There are several dance rehearsals in the schedule, so you can choose the date that suits you best or attend each rehearsal if you want!
University of Helsinki has published simple instructional videos on dances.You can learn the dances independently using instruction videos, with the exception of the polonaise, which has been taught incorrectly.
Tuesday, 13 August
Dance rehearsals
Place and time: Theatre Academy’s main building Kookos
Time: At 18:00–20:00
Wednesday, 14 August
Dance rehearsals
Place and time: Theatre Academy’s main building Kookos
Time: At 18:00–20:00
Thursday, 15 August
Dance rehearsals
Place and time: Theatre Academy’s main building Kookos
Time: At 15:00–17:30
Wreath-weaving
Place: Theatre Academy’s main building Kookos
Time: At 18:00–21:00
The wreath-weavers, the companions of the master’s promovendi, participate in the wreath-weaving. As the event’s name suggests, the wreath-weavers weave laurel wreaths, which symbolise learning and triumph in the Roman way, for their master’s promovendi. The wreaths are lowered on the heads of the master’s promovendi at the main event of the conferment ceremony day, the conferment act.
Wreath-weaving is carried out under the guidance of the event organiser, so you do not need to know anything beforehand.
If you cannot attend the wreath-weaving event, a staff member will weave the wreath on your behalf.
Doctoral hat try-on
Place: Theatre Academy main building Kookos
Time: At 18:00–19:00
The event is meant for doctoral promovendi and honorary doctors along with their companions. The programme includes speeches, art and mingling. The event is a lovely start for the conferment week and a chance to get to know and mingle with other doctoral graduates. During the evening, the doctoral hats are handed over to the organisers for the ceremony.
Friday, 16 August
Conferment act rehearsal
Place: Musiikkitalo Concert Hall
Time: At 10:00–12:00
Conferment act rehearsal is compulsory for all promovendi. In the rehearsal, the course of the conferment act is reviewed and rehearsed.
Gala for the arts
Place: Musiikkitalo Concert Hall
Time: At 18:00
The festive conferment ceremony weekend begins with a multi-art gala at Musiikkitalo. The gala’s programme will be specified later.
Saturday, 17 August
Conferment act
Place: Musiikkitalo Concert Hall
Time: At 10:00
The conferment act is the most important and dignified event of the conferment ceremony. In the conferment act, the promovendi will be conferred to their academic rank and granted the symbols of their respective degrees. Masters will receive laurel wreaths, and doctors will receive doctoral hats.
Procession
Place: Departure from Musiikkitalo
Time: at 14:00
The traditional procession goes through the Helsinki city centre and is divided into a religious celebration event and a secular celebration event. The festive black-and-white processions are among the most impressive moments of the conferment ceremony, and they gather a group of people close to the promovendi and curious passers-by to the vicinity of Musiikkitalo. There is also a diverse art programme along the procession’s route.
Events after procession
Place: Temppeliaukio Church or Kulttuurikasarmi (choose another)
Time: At 14:30
Ecumenical jubilee in the Temppeliaukio Church
After the conferment act, a conferment church service is organised simultaneously with the event of celebration at Kulttuurikasarmi. The procession will move to the church service at Temppeliaukio Church from the conferment act.
Event of celebration at Kulttuurikasarmi
After the conferment act, an event of celebration will be held simultaneously with a church service. The procession will move to the event of celebration from the conferment act.
Conferment dinner
Place: The Old Student House
Time: Dinner starts at 19:00. Photography at 18:00–19:00.
The conferment act day culminates in a three-course dinner. With the opening toast, the guests are seated to the tables to enjoy festive speeches, each other’s company and other programme. The new master’s and doctoral promovendi, their companions and honorary guests participate in conferment dinners. It is also possible for Uniarts Helsinki staff to buy a seat at the dinner. The evening ends with a conferment ball.
Sunday, 18 August
Excursion
Place and time: To be specified later
A full day excursion organised by the Student Union, the programme and location of which will be specified later.