Act of Conferment

The Act of Conferment starts with the degree ceremony procession. The procession will form on the ground floor of Paviljonki before the beginning of the conferment ceremony. The Masters to be conferred will proceed in alphabetical order. Coats and other personal possessions can be left in locked storage rooms in Paviljonki and be collected after the church service.

Act of Conferment programme:

at 11.30 a.m. The procession forms in Hall B1, Paviljonki ground floor
by 11.50 a.m. The audience is seated in Paviljonki Auditorium
at 12 noon The Procession arrives in the Auditorium; the audience will rise. After the last members of the procession have entered, everybody will take their seats.
at 12.15 p.m. - Speech by Conferrer of Degrees
- Ceremonial question to the primus/prima Master
- Conferment of Masters' degrees
- Speech to the conferred Masters
- Degree Ceremony Cantata
- Ceremonial question to the primus/prima Doctor
- Conferment of Honorary Doctors
- Conferment of Doctors' degrees
- Speech to the Honorary Doctors and Doctors
- Speech to the guests
- National anthem

The Master promovendi will be seated in the lower part of the Jyväskylä Paviljonki Auditorium. You will find your seat at the general rehearsal.

The Act of Conferment starts with the ceremonial procession. As it arrives in the auditorium, with the audience standing, the University Symphony Orchestra will play procession music. When the procession has arrived, everybody will take their seats. The Conferrer of Degrees will speak. At the end of the first part of the ceremony, a Faculty representative will address the ceremonial question to the chosen primus /prima Master. The Master will answer. After the answer the Conferrer of Degrees will put a laurel garland on his own head, as a sign of the beginning of the conferment of the Masters' degrees. The Master promovendi will stand up and unfasten the laurel garlands attached to their outfits. Holding garlands in their hands, they will walk in line to the Conferrer of Degrees, who will put the garlands on their heads and touch the ring on their left index-fingers. A speech will then be given to the Masters. The symphony orchestra plays the Degree Ceremony Cantata by Lasse Jalava.

The ceremonial question will be addressed to the primus/prima Doctor and he/she answers. The Conferrer of Degrees will then put on his doctoral hat, as a sign of the beginning of the conferment of the Doctors' degrees. Honorary Doctors are first presented and conferred, followed by the Doctor promovendi. During the conferment, the promovendi will first bow their heads so that the Conferrer of Degrees can place their hats on. Then the promovendi will receive the swords. After the conferment, the Conferrer of Degrees will speak to the Honorary Doctors and Doctors. At the end of this part of the ceremony, one of the promovendi will make a speech to the guests.

The Act of Conferment ends with the national anthem, during which all will be standing. Finally, the Master of Ceremonies bows to the Conferrer of Degrees, and the procession leaves the auditorium.

A short break will take place after the act of conferment. After the break a bus will transport the participants to Are square in the city centre. There the procession will form again, and proceed to the church service in Taulumäki Church. In the event of rain, the buses will go directly to the church. After the church service buses will transport the participants to Jyväskylä Paviljonki. We recommend that you park in the Paviljonki car park before the Act of Conferment and collect it after the service.

To make the event a pleasant experience for all participants, we ask the promovendi kindly to refrain from wearing strong fragrances, including aftershaves.

The taking of photos or video tape during the Act of Conferment is strictly prohibited. A professional photographer will be present to take pictures. The pictures taken will be displayed on the Internet (www.tahtikuva.fi), where you can order them. A book, video tape and DVD will be produced of the conferment ceremonies. We will inform you later about how you can order them.

DEGREE CEREMONY PROCESSION
To the auditorium in order:
1. Head Marshal, Ceremonial Garland Weaver, former Ceremonial Garland Weavers
2. Garland Weavers (Masters' escorts)
3. Rector
4. Vice Rectors
5. Administration Manager
6. Professors according to their years of service
7. Conferrer of Degrees
8. Master promovendi (first prima/primus, next ultimus/ultima, after them the other participants in alphabetical order)
9. Doctor promovendi
10. Honorary Doctors
11. Master of Ceremonies

Out of the auditorium, and from Are square to Taulumäki church
1. Master of Ceremonies
2. Conferrer of Degrees
3. Honorary Doctors
4. Doctors
5. Masters
6. Rectors, Vice Rectors, Administration Manager
7. Professors
8. Head Marshal, Ceremonial Garland Weaver, former Ceremonial Garland Weavers
9. Garland Weavers
10. Chancellors and rectors from other universities