The University of Turku will organize the next Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees in May 2025. Registration for doctors opens on Wednesday 11 December 2024.
The next Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees will take place in May 2025. On 15 May 2025, there will be a rehearsal for the Conferment Ceremony and the Sword Sharpening Ceremony will be held in the evening. On 16 May, the Ceremonial Conferment, academic procession, service and banquet will take place.
More information and the registration link here.
You can watch clips from the festivities in 2022 in the short video below:
More information
Everyone attending the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees needs to have a doctoral hat and a doctoral sword in order to participate.
The doctor orders the hat for themselves. We recommend ordering the hat as soon as possible. The hats are made by hand, so the time of delivery can be long.
At the University of Turku, all the doctors have a black hat except the doctors of law who have a burgundy hat.
You must bring your hats and swords to the University forehand. We inform all doctors about this later.
University of Turku is not responsible for prices or any related changes.
Doctoral Hats and Their Prices
The doctor’s hat and lyre are determined according to the university and the degree (what kind of doctor in what field). When ordering the hat, you must inform the manufacturer of your degree and university. At the University of Turku, all except law doctors have a black doctoral hat, while the law doctors have a burgundy hat.
The lyre varies according to the degree. For example, philosophy doctors, regardless of faculty, have the general philosophy doctor’s lyre.
The prices for the hats listed below include a hat box. The price of all other hats includes a lyre, except for the engineering doctoral hat. The University of Turku has its own engineering doctoral lyre, which costs 30€ . Requests for the hat mark should first be sent to: tech-toimisto@utu.fi.
Hattuliike Kristiina
Rauhankatu 12 a C (on the yard side)
20100 Turku
tel. +358 50 550 1103
email: kristiinakivela.hat(at)gmail.com
the price of the hat is 595€
the hat for doctors of science of the University of Turku 595 € (emblem not included)
E.R. Wahlman Oy
Sofiankatu 5
00170 Helsinki
tel. +358 9 634 313
www.wahlman.fi
Prices
In Turku, Classic Man at Humalistonkatu 3, supplies doctoral hats to Wahlman, a commission is included.
Hattuateljee Memmu Lankila
Itäinen Teatterikuja 5
00100 Helsinki
tel. +358 400 633 799
email: memmu.lankila(at)tohtorinhattu.eu
www.tohtorinhattu.eu
Prices
Ab Melanders Hattfabrik Oy
Hämeentie 155 A 10, 00560 Helsinki
Puh. 0400 485536
sposti: info(at)melandershattfabrik.fi
www.melandershattfabrik.com
Prices
Au-Holmberg Oy
Linnankatu 9-11 (Midas Kultasepät)
20100 Turku
puh. 02-231 6419
Doctoral sword and hat combined price 895 € (including VAT)
Doctoral sword (85 cm or 95 cm) with name and date engraving, the University of Turku emblem in 24-karat gold leaf, belt loop, fabric protection bag, and gift packaging. The doctoral hat is handmade in Finland by modist Anita Valo. The price includes the hat itself, name inscription inside, lyre in 24-karat gold leaf, transport box, and fabric transport bag. The engineering doctoral hat is an additional 50 € .
Au-Holmberg and milliner Anita Valo are organizing a hat fitting day in the lobby of the main building on January 21, 2025, from 9.00 AM to 3.00 PM. You can book an appointment for the fitting here.
You can also come without an appointment, but be prepared to wait in line. At the same time, you can also order a doctoral sword. No appointment is necessary just for ordering the doctoral sword.
Just the doctoral hat 600 €
Just the sword 330 €
Tohtorinhatut Harvest EB
email: info(at)harvesteb.com
www.doctoralhats.harvesteb.com
Prices
Head measurements can be taken in Vaatturiliike Miia Virtanen (Puolalankatu 4, Turku). Appointments 050 4327 227 or miia.virtanen@vaatturiliike.com. Please note there is a seperate service fee for head measurement.
Doctoral Sword
In the Ceremonial Conferment, all the doctors and honorary doctors carry a sword. Each university has its own emblem on the doctoral sword. The emblem of the University of Turku is the winged torch. Turku School of Economics has their own emblem.
You can order a doctoral sword from:
Au-Holmberg Oy (customer service)
At the promotion, everyone carries a sword. Each university has its own insignia or emblem on the doctoral sword. The emblem of the University of Turku is a winged torch, and the business school has its own emblem.
Swords can be ordered from:
Au-Holmberg Oy Customer Service
Linnankatu 9-11 (Midas Kultasepät)
20100 Turku
Phone: 02-231 6419
Open weekdays from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
The sword order can be made at customer service or online.
The price of 330 € (including VAT) includes the doctoral sword (85 cm or 95 cm) with engraving, the University of Turku emblem in 24-karat gold leaf, belt loop, fabric protection bag, and gift packaging.
Delivery options are pickup from the store, shipping, or collective delivery to the university in May 2025.
Sword Belt
Au-Holmberg Oy also makes sword belts for women at the price of 59 € each. Sizes are S = 60-75 cm, M = 75-90 cm, L = 90-105 cm.
The belt is fastened with a strong Velcro strap. Read more about the belt.
The faculties of the university select honorary doctors, who are conferred during the ceremony.
A faculty may award the title of honorary doctor and related insignia to an individual who, based on their achievements in scientific or artistic activities or in the promotion of sciences, arts, or other cultural activities, is deemed worthy of such an honor.
Explore the honorary doctors from previous promotion ceremonies.
Conferrers 2025 are announced later.
Faculty of Humanities &
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Faculty of Medicine
Turku School of Economics
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Technology
Ceremonial conferment committee 2025
Master of Ceremonies, Professor Hannu Salmi, Faculty of Humanities
Head Marshal, Professor Anna Axelin, Faculty of Medicine
Communications Director Anne Paasi, University Communications
Doctoral Member Suvi Jokila
Doctoral Member Einari Kurvinen
Doctoral Member Saana Myllyntausta
Responsible for practical matters:
Communications Coordinator Eeva-Maria Soikkanen, University Communications, Committee Secretary, emsoik@utu.fi
Project worker Helka Oksanen, University Communications, hshoks@utu.fi
Department Secretary Jaana Fieandt, University Services, jaana.fieandt@utu.fi
Participation and registration
I took part in the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees in 20 years ago and it was fun. Can I take part again? / I graduated as PhD 20 year’s ago. Is it too late to participate in the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees?
You can participate to the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees only once in a lifetime. It doesn’t matter if you have graduated years ago. To participate in the Ceremonial Conferment 2025 your doctoral degree must have been accepted before 20 January 2025.
Is a doctoral hat and a sword mandatory in order to participate in the Ceremonial Conferment?
Everyone attending the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees needs to have a doctoral hat and a doctoral sword in order to participate. The doctor orders the hat and the sword for themselves. We recommend ordering them as soon as possible.
You can also borrow the sword for example from a friend or a relative but please make sure that there is an emblem of University of Turku in the sword. If you borrow the sword and there is an emblem of the Turku school of Economic, its fine, but in new swords should have the emblem of the University of Turku.
How much the Ceremonial Conferment and other events cost?
In case you will register only for the conferment ceremony the registration fee is 60 eur. In case you will register also for the other events (the sword sharpening ceremony or the banquet and the ball, or both) the Conferment Ceremony is free of charge.
The other events:
The sword sharpening ceremony, 85 eur
The service and the secular service, free of charge
Friday 16 May: The ceremonial conferment banquet and the ball, 170 eur
During the Ceremonial Conferment
How should I dress for the ceremonia and its side events?
The Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees is the most formal academic celebration and the dress code is very precise. You will find the dress code here.
Can my relatives take part to the Ceremonial Conferment? How many relatives I can take to the audience?
Relatives can take part to the Conferment Ceremony, but other events are only for doctors, honorary doctors, other invited guests and their spouses. We inform you closer the conferment ceremonia how many relatives you can invite to come to audience.
Can I take pictures and videos in the conferment ceremonia?
Any kind of filming is prohibited as it may disturb the ceremonia and its official filming. The event is recorded by the university and will be shared to the participants afterwards.
All of the facilities of the Ceremonial Conferment are accessible.
The University Main building is accessible and there is also an accessible toilet.
More information of accessibility at Logomo can be found here. We kindly ask you to contact us if you or your guest need an accessible seat at Logomo.
More information of accessibility of the Cathedral can be found here.
Turku Kunsthalle’s accessible entrance can be found in the courtyard of the building. You can drive to the courtyard from the gate corridor that opens at Hämeentie 15.
