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: Academy of Fine Arts main building Mylly
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.
Celebration of the arts
Place: Musiikkitalo Concert Hall
Time: At 18:00
The festive conferment ceremony weekend begins with a multiartistic production and a captivating music experience at Musiikkitalo.
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.
Audience members coming to the ceremony must be seated in the hall at 9:50, when the doors to the hall will be closed. The event will begin at 10 o’clock sharp.
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.
Uniarts Helsinki’s academic staff may participate in the procession if they wish.
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.
Secular jubilee 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: Lonna island
Time: 11 AM (please be on time!)
In keeping with the finest traditions, the conferment trip combines a sail and a bubbly brunch.
JT-Line’s chartered boats leave from the Market Square at Keisarinluoto pier at 11.00 AM and cruise for over an hour along the Helsinki coast before landing on Lonna Island. Please be there in good time – the ferries will not wait, and late-comers will have to make their way to Lonna under their own steam.
On Lonna Island, a light lunch buffet will be served along with an art programme. The program ends at approximately 3 PM, after which there is still an opportunity to spend a sunny afternoon in Lonna – the return to the city centre takes place independently and at a free pace on ordinary scheduled ferries. In the event of rain, guests can take shelter on the
ferries and on Lonna Island, and so not even bad weather will mar the trip.