Please ensure that your preparations for the doctoral conferral ceremony are in order. Below is a list of the most important elements.

Please note: Correct insignia are a prerequisite for participating in the ceremony. Without the appropriate insignia, you cannot be conferred.

All honorary doctors will receive their insignia (doctoral hat with lyre and a sword for those who carry a sword) from Åbo Akademi University, and they will be available to you before the conferral ceremony at the Concert Hall on May 22nd at 4:00 PM.

Doctoral Hat

All doctors conferred at Åbo Akademi University wear a doctoral hat and receive a diploma. Other insignia — such as the hat model, lyre, sword, collar, or brooch — vary depending on the field of science. You are conferred according to your degree and must wear the corresponding insignia.

Insignia

A detailed overview of insignia by faculty and degree can be found here.

Sword

The sword is part of the official insignia for Doctors of Philosophy, Psychology, Education, Health Sciences, and Law. As the sword is an essential part of the insignia for these degrees, it is not possible to be conferred with only the doctoral hat.

A fastening strap is needed to attach the sword to the tailcoat. It is a strap with buttonholes used to secure the sword to the clothing. Male promovendi who will wear a sword should remember to sew an appropriate button on the inside of the left side of the waistband, a few centimeters back from the center seam. A fastening strap can be obtained from the university.

• For male promovendi, it is recommended to sew a suitable button on the inside of the waistband on the left side, a few centimeters back from the center.

• For female promovendi, it is recommended to wear a black belt (2–3 cm wide) to which the sword can be attached.

Collar and Brooch (for Doctors of Technology)

The insignia for Doctors of Technology at Åbo Akademi University includes either an embroidered velvet collar (for men) or a brooch (for women) worn with formal attire.

• The velvet collar is sewn onto the tailcoat to cover the coat’s original collar. Note that it may leave marks and should not be sewn onto a rented tailcoat.

• The brooch is worn on the left side of the chest.

Honorary Doctors of Technology may receive their collar or brooch from Åbo Akademi.m Åbo Akademi University.

Attire
Information regarding the dress code for promovendi and guests, for the conferral ceremony and the banquet, can be found here and below.

Accomondation and Travels

All honorary doctors will stay at Scandic Hamburger Börs (Köpmansgatan 9). Room reservations are made through Åbo Akademi.

Travel will be booked or reimbursed by Åbo Akademi. Please remember to save all receipts for reimbursement afterward.

Below instructions regarding attire for doctoral conferrals.

Rector’s Welcome Dinner at Turku Castle

• Dark suit
  

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Conferral Ceremony at the Concert Hall

Attire for both promovendi and those intending to take part in the conferral procession

• tail suit with black waistcoat, no patent shoes, no white handkerchief, no gloves or long black dress or long black skirt and black jacket (alternatively black trouser suit or black skirt suit – with black stockings – of good quality), white blouse, black shoes, no gloves, no handbag
• National or folk costume in formal style
• Official or ceremonial uniform, worn in accordance with its formal guidelines
• order decorations in the original
• rectors shall wear, in addition, the rector’s gown and chain or other official clothing

Doctoral sword

The doctoral swords are fitted with a buttonhole for attachment to apparel. Please ensure, therefore, that trousers are fitted with a corresponding extra button on the left side and at waste height. Female promovendi should likewise fit their dresses with a belt or some other form of reinforcement in order to prevent damage to clothing. See also: Instructions for the belt loop, with illustrations (in Finnish) or in Swedish here Instruktioner för fästremmen, med bild

Attire for other invited guests

• dark suit or knee long and not necessarily dark dress (alternatively trouser suit or skirt suit), no hat
• order decorations in the original
• Doctoral guests (who are not part of the academic staff or do not participate in the procession) may bring their doctoral hat to the ceremonial hall. The hat is carried on the left arm and is placed on the head at the same time as the respective conferrer dons their hat to confer degrees according to their own doctoral degree.
  

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The Banquet at Logomo

• tail suit with white waistcoat, white handkerchief for those not wearing order decorations, patent shoes allowed or festive attire (long dress/evening gown, preferably not black)
• National or folk costume in formal style
• Official or ceremonial uniform, worn in accordance with its formal guidelines
• order decorations in original
• swords will not be taken to the banquet
• hats are not worn in the banquet-hall (hats to be left outside in the aula of the banquet-hall)
  

Rector’s Welcome Dinner – Turku Castle, May 22, 7:30–11:00 PM
The choice of menu in registration form found via the link below.

• Rector’s Welcome Dinner Menu
• Menu selection/registration for Rector’s Welcome Dinner

Participants at the Rector’s Welcome Dinner include:
-Jubilee Doctors and Honorary Doctors, with optional guests
-Hosts of the Honorary Doctors
-The Rectorate of Åbo Akademi
-Deans of all Faculties
-Head Marshal, Master of Ceremonies, and Conferrers.

Bus transportation is arranged to and from the dinner from Scandic Hamburger Börs (Köpmansgatan 6). The timetable will be announced in Letter 3.

Rehearsal for Promotion Conferral ceremony on May 22 at 4:00 PM at Turku Concert Hall
(Aninkaistenkatu 9, 20100 Turku) Entrance via the Main Door.

It is highly desirable that all promovendi participate in the rehearsal from start to finish. You do not need to be dressed for the conferral during the rehearsal.

Schedule

4:00 PM: Rehearsal of the conferral ceremony with jubilee and honorary doctors, promovendi, and promoters.
By 6:00 PM at the latest, the rehearsal will be finished for Jubilee and Honorary Doctors, as well as Promotors, who will then head to their hotel and later to the Rector’s Dinner at Turku Castle at 7:30 PM.

Assembly for the Procession
(Aninkaistenkatu 9, 20100 Turku) Entrance side door to the left of the main entrance

All promovendi participate in the procession at 12:00 PM on May 23 when the festivities begin. Note! Everyone should be present no later than 11:15 AM. The entrance is the side door to the left of the main entrance, Aninkaistenkatu 9, where you leave your outer garments and handbags on numbered hangers in the caretaker’s corridor, behind the café.

Promovendi line up together with the rest of the academic staff, chancellors, and rectors from foreign and domestic universities and colleges, in the corridor at 11:30 AM and march exactly at 12:00 PM into the concert hall.

The order is extremely important for you to be conferred in the correct order and receive your own insignia! Promovendi follow their own promoters and take their places in front of the audience. So, follow the promoter and his/her instructions. A map with the seating arrangement in the concert hall can be found at the bottom. (Note: The seating arrangement may still change until the day of the promotion).

The program in the concert hall begins with music, the rector’s speech, and singing, followed by the promotion ceremony. The total time is approximately 2.5 – 3 hours. Note! There is no break between the music program and the promotion ceremony.

• Procession (will be updated May 15)
• Promotion ceremony procedure (will be updated 10 May)
• Conferral numbering and seatingarrangement ÅA Promotion – Sittordning_Seating_arrangement_2025(18.5)

Concert Hall

Guests, including the spouses of promovendi, are asked to enter the Concert Hall through the main entrance.

Guests who have informed us of the need for special seating arrangements will receive separate information regarding their designated seats. Ushers and staff will begin guiding guests to their seats starting at 11:30.

Reserved seating is available at the front right section of the hall for the close family members of Jubilee Doctors and Honorary Doctors.

The audience is kindly requested to be seated by 11:45.

Turku Cathedral

All guests are warmly welcome to attend the Conferral Church Service at Turku Cathedral. After the Conferral Ceremony, guests are asked to leave the Concert Hall and may accompany the academic procession from the Concert Hall to the Cathedral at the Cathedral Square.

Guests are asked to take seats in the middle and rear sections of the church, so that the promovendi and academic procession participants may sit at the front.

After the ceremony – Procession to Turku Cathedral

After the ceremony, the promovendi will exit the Concert Hall in procession. Rectors, all promovendi, and members of the academic procession gather in the lower lobby of the Concert Hall to prepare for the walk to Turku Cathedral.

There will be a short break (restroom access, fruit, and water provided) before lining up. After the break, please find your promotor and take your place in the procession.

Hat boxes and clothing should be left at the Concert Hall. They will be transported to Åbo Akademi University’s Main Building at Domkyrkotorget 3 and can be collected there after the church service.

In case of rain, the procession will be cancelled and transportation to the cathedral will be arranged by bus.

Conferral Church Service – Turku Cathedral

The ecumenical conferral service lasts approximately 45 minutes. The choirs Florakören and Brahe Djäknar will perform under the direction of Hanna Kronqvist. The sermon will be delivered by Jon Vikström.

The full programme will be published here.

Important to note:

Upon entering the cathedral, all doctors must remove their doctoral hats.

Those carrying a sword will leave it in the vestibule (entrance hall) of the cathedral. Tables will be placed on both sides of the entrance:

• Those entering on the right will place their sword on the table to the right.

• Those entering on the left will place their sword on the table to the left.

• Swords are placed starting from the innermost end of the table (closest to the cathedral interior).

• Place the sword upside down, so your name or conferral number is visible.
  This will make it easier to retrieve the sword when exiting the cathedral.

The procession continues into the cathedral. The promovendi walk in pairs toward the front rows (wooden chairs):

• The person walking on the right enters the right row.

• The person walking on the left enters the left row.

When exiting the cathedral, you leave with the same processional partner and on the same side as when entering.
Remember to retrieve your own sword from the vestibule on your way out.

After the service, clothing and hat boxes can be collected from Åbo Akademi University’s Main Building, located at Domkyrkotorget 3.

All those who have registered to attend the banquet at Logomo on 23 May at 19:30 will receive an email with a link to select their menu. When making your selection, please indicate any special dietary requirements or allergies, and whether you prefer a non-alcoholic beverage package or one that includes alcohol.

Banquet Schedule
19:00–19:20 Bus transport from hotels to Logomo (see below)
19:30 The banquet begins with a welcome toast in the Logomo foyer
00:00 Return buses to the hotels depart from Logomo
01:30 The banquet ends

The timetable and route for the bus transport from the hotels to Logomo and the return at night will be published here later.

The menu can be found here:

• Promotion_2025_Logomo_bankett_menu_meny
• Menu selection/registration for Banquett dinner