For Promovendi and Installandi

A warm welcome to all new professors and doctors!

Warm congratulations to all the new doctors and professors!

We hope you felt properly celebrated during this year's Academic Celebration. You will shortly receive an email with a link to images with instructions on how to download the images you want.

Next Academic Celebration will take place 24 May 2025 in Norrköping. Everyone who has completed a doctorate during the past year, and up to 11 April 2025, will be invited. In order to be conferred you must have applied for and received your doctoral degree. The invitation will be posted in early March, to the address where you are registered.

It is possible to postpone your conferment to the upcoming two ceremonies, but only if there’s room. If you want to postpone your conferment please contact promotion@liu.se in January the year you wish to attend and ask for an invitation.

Contact information

Frequently asked questions about the Academic Ceremony

At this page you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about participating in the Academic Ceremony. The questions may specifically be of use to promovendi (new doctors) and installandi (new professors) in 2024.

promotion@liu.se

Invitation and registration

Will I automatically receive an invitation to this year's Academic Ceremony if I have defended my thesis since the last ceremony, or am a new professor? Where will the invitation be sent?

Everyone who has completed a doctorate during the past year, and up to 19 April 2024, will be invited. In order to be conferred you must have your doctoral degree completed. The invitation will be posted in early March, to the address where you are registered.

I have received an invitation to this year's Academic Ceremony, but am unable to attend. Can I choose to be conferred at another time instead?

It is possible to postpone your conferment to the upcoming two ceremonies, but only if there’s room. If you want to postpone your conferment it’s your responsibility to contact promotion@liu.se in January the year you wish to attend and ask for an invitation.

I have received an invitation to this year's Academic Ceremony and I want to register. How do I do this?

On your invitation there is a code and a link to the registration. We recommend that you visit the registration page soon, because it provides answers to many questions you may have.

I have sent an email to promotion@liu.se that I want to attend the Academic Ceremony. Does that count as registration?

No. You need to visit the link on your invitation under the heading ‘Anmälan’ (Registration) and log in using the code that is also on the invitation, and then register on the registration page. Please note that your registration isn’t valid until you have received a confirmation email.

How do I know that you have received my registration and that I am registered?

You will receive a confirmation to the email address you provided during registration. Check that all the details are correct. If you have not received a confirmation, check your spam filter. If you still have not received a confirmation, contact us on promotion@liu.se. Your registration isn’t valid until you have received a confirmation.

Can I register after the registration deadline?

No, unfortunately not.

What do I do if I have submitted my registration but want to edit it?

Email your changes to promotion@liu.se.

Peter Holgersson AB

The Academic Cermony

Are there dedicated parking spaces at Linköping Konsert & Kongress?

No, you will have to use the public parking spaces in the area.

Will return bus transport be arranged between Norrköping and Linköping?

No.

Is it compulsory to attend the combined meeting and rehearsal that takes place the same day as the ceremony?

Yes. This is necessary, so that you know where to sit, stand and walk. New doctors will also have the opportunity to try on their hats/wreaths.

Should I wear my formal clothing at the rehearsal?

If you wish. There will be time between the rehearsal and the ceremony but there are no changing rooms at Linköping Konsert & Kongress.

Should my guest join me at rehearsal?

No.

What is meant by 'white tie'? (In Swedish 'högtidsdräkt')

This means tails, white waistcoat or cummerbund, white bow tie, black socks and black (patent) shoes or a long formal evening dress in any chosen colour. There may be other types of formal attire – please contact the Master of Ceremonies beforehand to find out more. If you intend to wear a dress with bare shoulders, please remember to wear a shawl or mid-arm length gloves for the ceremony.

Accompanying guests wear formal attire at the banquet. Children and teenagers generally wear white shirts with a tie, dark trousers and dark shoes or a dress.

I am a new doctor/professor and the invitation says white tie. Under the headline 'Promotion of new doctors' it says free choice of clothing. How should I dress?

The last information is for guests who will only come and watch the ceremony and who do not enter the stage or attend the dinner. Honourees and their invited guests wear formal wear.

Can LiU help me arrange formal wear and/or a doctor's hat?

Unfortunately, this is not possible.

Should I change my outfit between the ceremony and the dinner?

No. After the ceremony there will be a short reception before the dinner begins.

May children attend the ceremony?

On the whole, the ceremony is not an event for children. The ceremony is long, and it can be difficult to sit still and quiet for such a long time.

What are the rules for taking photos and filming the ceremony?

Photography and filming are permitted, but you must remain at your seat, not use a flash, and avoid blocking other people’s view. Tripods or similar may not be used. LiU will take photographs during the ceremony, but cannot guarantee that photos are taken of everyone in attendance.

Will LiU take photographs during the ceremony that I can access?

Yes. New doctors and professors will receive information about these photographs some time after the ceremony. Note however, that photographs will not be taken of everyone in attendance.

How long is the ceremony?

It depends on the number of new doctors and professors, but expect about 2,5 hours.

What do a doctor's hat and wreath cost?

A doctor’s hat costs SEK 6200 and a wreath SEK 650. (2024)

As a new doctor, must I wear something on ny head for the ceremony?

Yes. The wreath/doctor’s hat is an important symbol in the ceremony.

As a new doctor, should I wear a hat or a wreath?

If you are conferred a doctoral degree which in Swedish is called 'ekonomie doktor', 'teknologie doktor' or 'medicine doktor', you wear a doctor's hat at the ceremony. If you are conferred a doctoral degree which in Swedish is called 'filosofie doktor', you wear a laurel wreath.

How do I go about buying a wreath?

You order a wreath on the registration page, and then the Master of Ceremonies will buy one. Take care to specify the correct head measurement: place the lower edge of a tape measure at the upper edge of your eyebrows, and measure horizontally around your head.

When ordering a wreath, I am to specify my head measurement. How do I measure this correctly?

Place the lower edge of a tape measure at the upper edge of your eyebrows, and measure horizontally around your head.

I am paying for my wreath to LiU's account. Do I need to enter a message or an OCR number?

In order to trace the payment your name, i.e. the promovendi or installandi, must be entered.

I need to get at doctor's hat. How do I go about this?

A doctor’s hat can be purchased from Hattsmedjan AB (hatter Marie Fredsberg Lindström). The hat is custom-made, and the hatter will be available at Campus Valla 26 March 3 pm - 5 pm to take measurements and orders (this is booked on the registration page). You can also contact Marie directly. Please observe that the last date for ordering a hat is 15 April. If you do not wish to buy a hat, you can hire or borrow one. If you hire or borrow a hat, ensure that it has your faculty’s hat mark. A hat that is made by the hatter is delivered directly to the venue. If you rent or borrow a hat it must be delivered to the Master of Ceremonies at special dates communicated separately. Phone number hatter: 073-268 99 69.

If I purchase a hat from the hatter, where will it be delivered to?

It will be delivered to the Master of Ceremonies, who ensures that it is transported to the venue.

If I buy a hat from the hatter/order a wreath and it is delivered directly to Louis de Geer, will I be able to try it on before the ceremony?

Yes, there will be time to try it on during the rehearsal.

What do I do if my doctor's hat/wreath does not fit?

The hatter will be at Linköping Konsert & Kongress during most of the day and can make minor adjustments (not on borrowed or rented hats). The marshals can help you adjust your wreath at rehearsal.

As a new doctor, if I borrow or hire a doctor's hat, should I bring it to the rehearsal, or do I hand it in?

A hired or borrowed hat should be handed to the Master of Ceremonies about a week/a couple of weeks before the ceremony. (The exact date will be communicated separately.)

Can I have a friend drop off a borrowed doctor's hat to the Master och Ceremonies, or do I have to bring it in myself, at the times specified?

You can have someone else bring it in. However, make sure the hat and the box are marked with your name. If the specified times don't work for you, contact us and we will sort it out.

Do I only wear the doctor's hat during the ceremony, or do I also wear it at other times, later in the evening?

Only at the ceremony. Hats may not be taken into the dinner; they are to be left at the staffed cloakroom.

I am a new professor. Do I have to wear a doctor's hat?

No.

I am a new professor and have been conferred at another university. Should I wear the doctor's hat I received at my conferment to the ceremony?

Yes.

I am a new professor. I was conferred to Doctor of Philosophy and received a wreath. Should I wear that in my installation to professor?

No. A new professor wears a doctor’s hat. If you wish to get a doctor’s hat, a hatter will be available at Campus Valla on 26 March 3 pm - 5 pm to take measurements and orders. (contact promotion@liu.se to book an appointment for measuring a hat). You can also contact the hatter directly at 073-268 99 69. Please note that the last date for ordering a hat is 15 April.

At the ceremony, doctor's rings aren't presented to new doctors. Can I still buy one, and wear it during the ceremony?

You can buy a doctor’s ring if you wish. A jeweler will be present at Campus Valla 26 March 3 pm - 5 pm to take measurements and orders (bookings on registration page) You put the ring on after the ceremony. Phone number jeweler: 072-311 03 65.

When do I get my diploma and what is its significance?

The diploma is only handed out at the Commencement Ceremony. It shows that the person is a doctor or professor. Those who don’t attend the ceremony will not receive a diploma.

May anyone attend the ceremony?

Yes, it is open for everyone and free of charge, no tickets needed. The audience may sit where they like apart from at reserved seats at the front. Places should be taken at 16.00.

A friend of mine who uses a wheelchair would like to attend the ceremony. Can a special place be arranged?

Yes. Contact promotion@liu.se.

Peter Holgersson AB

Banquet - the Dinner

At the dinner, what will the seating arrangements be?

We will seat you together with your accompanying guests and colleagues from the same department or faculty if possible. If you have any special wishes you can specify them in your registration.

May I bring children to the dinner?

Yes. But small children will not get much out of the dinner. They take part on the same conditions as adults: they get the same food and have the same table setting as the adults.

May I bring a child in a pram?

We recommend that you get a babysitter. If this is not possible, please specify in the registration that you need to be seated where you can have the pram nearby. If you don’t specify this in your registration, we will not be able to arrange any special seating.

Must my dinner guest wear formal dress?

Yes. Children and adolescents can wear a white shirt with a tie, dark trousers or a skirt/dress of any length.

May I bring more guests to the dinner than are on the invitation, if I pay for their meals?

No, unfortunately not. You can, however, invite people to come and watch the ceremony at Linköping Konsert & Kongress between 16.16-18.30.

As a new doctor I may invite three guests. Do I pay for any of them and how do I make the payment?

One of your guests is paid for by the university and you pay for dinner for the other two. More information on how to pay can be found in the registration.

Does my husband/wife/significant other count as one of the three guests I may invite?

Yes.

I have friends who are promoted at the same ceremony. May we be placed close to each other at the dinner?

When you register you can specify who you want to be placed close to at dinner. We try to accommodate this as much as we can.

Can I order a vegetarian meal?

When you register you can specify any allergies or special food requirements. We cannot provide special meals for children.

Will there be alcohol-free drinks?

Alcohol-free wine or mineral water is always served to those who want it. Table water is available for everyone.

I have more than one supervisor that I want to invite to the ceremony. How do I do?

LiU invites one supervisor (the one you specify in your registration). If you wish to invite other supervisors, you can invite them as your (maximum) three guests.

If my principal supervisor is not able to attend, can I specify my secondary supervisor in the registration instead

Yes.

I am a new doctor. Will my supervisor be invited?

The supervisor you name in your registration will be invited separately by the Master of Ceremonies, thus you don’t have to invite him/her as your guest. The supervisor, in turn, may also invite a guest.

Will the supervisor I have specified in my registration be placed close to me at the dinner?

Yes, we always place supervisors close to you, but may have to make an exception if your supervisor has several new doctors promoted at the same ceremony.

When I specify a guest during registration, will he/she receive a separate invitation to the ceremony?

No – so it’s important that you inform your guest about times, dress code and other details.

When paying for my dinner guests, do I need to enter a message or an OCR number?

To simplify things, we prefer it if you as a new doctor/new professor make the payment for your guests. If someone else makes the payment, your name must be specified in the payment.

Peter Holgersson AB