Degree conferral ceremony

Doctoral degrees are conferred at a commencement ceremony, which is held at the university on an annual basis. In addition to newly awarded doctorates being conferred during the commencement ceremony, the university’s new professors are installed, honorary doctorates are awarded and distinguished university teachers are honoured.

Who is invited?

If you have been admitted and employed at Södertörn University, you will be invited to have your degree conferred at Södertörn. If you were admitted to another university but employed by us, you should be offered a conferment at the university where you are admitted. If you have been admitted Södertörn University, but employed at another university, you will be invited to have your degree conferred at Södertörn. If you are unsure about what applies to you, please contact akademiskhogtid@sh.se, and we will help you.

What happens at the ceremony?

At the ceremony, you will receive a laurel wreath and a diploma as signs of your new position. You also have the option to buy a doctoral ring. Details on this and other matters will be included in the invitation to the ceremony. This will be sent in September, about five months prior to the event. This means that the people who receive the invitation completed their doctorates in the preceding September to August. Read more about the ceremony’s production period External link. (in Swedish).

During the ceremony, a short sequence of images of you is shown and your thesis will be named. The photographs will be taken in the autumn and you will receive all the information you need when you receive your invitation to the ceremony.

Preparing for conferment

There are many elements to the organisation of a worthy commencement ceremony. Therefore, we recommend that you block off time in your diary for this when you receive the invitation, particularly during the week of the ceremony. There will be a separate rehearsal with you and the other graduates, usually at the end of January, and then a final rehearsal with all the celebrants present, a few days before the ceremony itself. On these occasions, you will learn about the procession, where to sit, when you take the stage and how to receive your insignia. A group photo shoot is also organised in connection with the ceremony.

If you are unable or unwilling to attend the ceremony, you can choose to have your degree conferred the following year or in your absence. Please note that conferment is something we offer and is not a requirement.

More about the commencement ceremony

When is the next ceremony? Who is in the working group for the next one? Who can I contact to find out more about the university’s commencement ceremony? The answers to these questions and more are on the page Akademisk högtid External link. (in Swedish).

You can also contact akademiskhogtid@sh.se.