Conferral ceremony
Åbo Akademi University invites all those who have completed their doctoral degrees to take part in the formal conferral ceremony if they have not already done so. At the ceremony, those who have completed their doctoral degrees are conferred with the title of Doctor and receive the insignia for their respective degrees. Honorary Doctors and Jubilee Doctors are also conferred at the ceremony.
Doctoral graduates from Åbo Akademi University who have not yet been conferred are invited to pre-register their interest in participating in the next conferral ceremony via the link below. The date of the upcoming ceremony will be announced here in autumn 2025.
The Conferment Ceremony as a Tradition at Åbo Akademi University
The conferment ceremony is one of the most tradition-rich academic celebrations. It is an occasion where a university formally promotes its new doctors. During the ceremony, the promovendi (those being conferred) receive the symbols of their new dignity — typically the doctoral hat, sword, and diploma.
Promovere
The Latin verb promovere means “to move forward” or “to promote.” The person being conferred, the promovendus, is promoted to their new dignity by the conferrer (or promotor), who also presents the insignia to the newly conferred doctor.
Tradition
The conferment ceremony has its roots in the traditions of the earliest European universities, dating back to the Middle Ages. Conferment ceremonies were held in Bologna and Paris as early as the 13th century. At the Royal Academy of Turku (1640–1827), the tradition took form at an early stage — the Faculty of Philosophy held its first conferment in 1643, only three years after the Academy was founded. The tradition has continued almost uninterrupted since then, and Åbo Akademi University has preserved several conferment customs from the time of the Royal Academy. The first conferment ceremony at Åbo Akademi University was held in 1927.
The conferment ceremony tradition at Åbo Akademi University dates back to 1927. In the 1900s, conferment ceremonies were held for both Master’s and Doctor’s degrees by individual faculties or university as a whole. In the 2000s, the university has organised joint conferment ceremonies for doctoral degrees every other year or every third year.
At Åbo Akademi University, the conferment festivities include a ceremonial procession, the act of conferment, a conferral service, and a banquet. The conferrers speak Latin when greeting the promovendi and presenting the insignia. The sceptres, symbolising the legal freedom of the seat of learning, are carried at the front of the procession. In earlier times, the conferment ceremony also had legal significance, but today its meaning is primarily symbolic. Each doctor decides individually whether to take part in the ceremony.
Åbo Akademi University has conferred Honorary Doctor degrees at every conferment ceremony since 1927. A list of the Åbo Akademi University Honorary Doctors can be found here. A presentation of Hononary Doctors and Jubilee Doctors of the Conferral Ceremony in 2025.
A look back at our doctoral conferral ceremony 20 May 2022.
Watch the Doctoral Conferral Ceremony from 2022 in its entirety (the ceremony at the concert hall and the ecumenical service) on May 20th via Livekatsomo.
Conferment ceremony terms and concepts
Conferrer (Promotor)
A promotor or conferrer is a person who holds both the title of Professor and Doctor, and who is appointed by the respective faculty to perform the act of conferment for new Doctors as well as Honorary and Jubilee Doctors during the conferral ceremony.
Promovendi
Promovendi is Latin for “those who are to be conferred.” The term refers to those who are ceremonially promoted to the degree of Doctor at an academic conferral ceremony. The word derives from the Latin verb promovere, meaning “to promote” or “to move forward.”
Procession
An academic procession is a solemn ceremonial parade that forms part of an academic celebration, such as a doctoral conferment ceremony or the installation of professors. This procession, which follows medieval traditions, serves to honour academic achievements and includes newly conferred Doctors or Professors, the Chancellor, the Rector, and members of the academic staff wearing formal academic dress or special ceremonial attire.
At Åbo Akademi University, all promovendi — new Doctors, Jubilee Doctors, and Honorary Doctors — take part in the conferment procession. The procession also includes marshals, flag bearers, the Chancellor, the Rector, Professors, academic staff, and Rectors from other universities. The university’s regalia, including the sceptres symbolising the university’s legal autonomy, are carried at the front of the procession.
Insignia are the outward signs of the degree. All promovendi at Åbo Akademi University receive a doctoral hat and a diploma. The hat model and lyre emblem (or lack thereof) vary according to the academic field in question. Some degrees also come with other insignia: a doctoral sword or an embroidered collar/brooch.
The doctoral hat symbolises academic freedom. While the colour may vary, at Åbo Akademi University most doctoral hats are black, except for those of Doctors of Law. The brim is flat, except for the Doctor of Science (Technology) hat, which has upturned sides. The hats are adorned with a lyre emblem, except for the Doctor of Theology hat, which is decorated with a ribbon.
All doctoral hats at Åbo Akademi University bear a lyre emblem, except for the Doctor of Theology hat, which is adorned only with a ribbon symbolising the clerical collar. Most of the faculties and disciplines at Åbo Akademi University have chosen to use the University of Helsinki’s philosophy lyre, in which the academic lyre is encircled by a laurel wreath.
The university’s Doctors of Technology have designed their own lyre, featuring a benzene ring surrounded by a laurel wreath. The lyre used by Doctors of Economics depicts the staff of Mercury, entwined by two snakes and framed by laurel leaves and lilies. Doctors of Pharmacy also wear a lyre of their own design.
The doctoral sword originates from the faculties of medicine. At Åbo Akademi University, the doctoral sword is carried by Doctors of Philosophy, Doctors of Philosophy (Psychology), Doctors of Philosophy (Education), Doctors of Philosophy (Pharmacy), Doctors of Health Sciences and Doctors of Laws. The shield of the doctoral sword used by Åbo Akademi University is adorned with the Brahe wings.
Honorary Doctorates are conferred upon persons by faculties in recognition of their scientific achievements or their contributions to the university or society.
The title of Jubilee Doctor is conferred upon persons who earned their doctoral degrees 50 years ago.
Conferment
The Latin verb promovere means to “move forward” or “promote”. The conferment is bestowed upon a person, the promovendus, by the conferrer. The conferrer also presents the insignia to the promovendus.
Åbo Akademi University confers fourteen new honorary doctors in May
Åbo Akademi University will host a Doctoral Conferral Ceremony on Friday, 23 May 2025.
Academic traditions
At Åbo Akademi University, many academic traditions are a natural part of the university’s activities. These traditions date back to the time of the Royal
