The day begins with a salute and bell ringing in Uppsala Cathedral in honour of the graduates. Then follows a very solemn ceremony in the Grand Auditorium with an entrance procession and a welcome by Vice-Chancellor Magnificus Anders Hagfeldt. The promoter expresses a wish of good fortune to each of the PhD candidates and awards the insignia, the external signs of dignity, which for the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy are a pleated black hat, a PhD ring and a diploma.
The hat symbolises both freedom and power, and the gold ring symbolises fidelity to science and learning. The fact that the PhD candidate rises into and passes over the catheter, the so-called Parnassus, is a symbol that they have now been given the right to teach.
All disciplinary domains participate
Representatives from all the university’s disciplinary domain participate, and during the act, saluting continues as a sign of tribute. Promotional music is performed by the Royal Academic Orchestra under the direction of Director Musices Stefan Karpe. After the ceremony and photography, all PhD students at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, together with their families, are invited to a traditional mingle, and the day ends with dinner at Uppsala Castle.
“It is a great pleasure to honour our PhD students for completing their research training and to celebrate with them and their families,” says Mats Larhed, Vice-Rector of the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy.
Watch the ceremony online
You can watch a live broadcast of the Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony from 12:00 (noon): www.uu.se/en/about-uu/traditions/conferment-ceremony/.
For those of you who paid attention to the canoe salute last week and watched the academic ceremony, that is absolutely correct. Last week, the Winter Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony was carried out, which which had been postponed due to last year’s pandemic situation. Honorary and jubilee doctors, as well as other honorary members of Uppsala University, are also honoured during the ceremony, which takes place every spring and winter.