The venues for the conferment ceremony have been selected with accessibility in mind. The events take place in various environments both indoors and outdoors, and some locations may have certain accessibility limitations. Detailed accessibility information will be provided as part of the programme. If you have any questions regarding accessibility, please contact the conferment committee.
The university now offers a sword lending service. If you wish to borrow a sword, contact the conferment committee at fil-promootio@helsinki.fi no later than the beginning of May. The conferment committee manages the borrowing of swords centrally.
For attaching the sword, there is a strap available from at least some suppliers, which has a buckle and two buttonholes. The strap can be used in whatever way you find most suitable. Some tuxedo trousers come with two buttons already sewn in, which are apt for fastening the strap. If buttons are not pre-installed, they must be sewn onto the trousers. If rented attire does not have such buttons, it might be worth inquiring at the rental shop.
For a long gown, the sword is attached to a belt placed over or inside the gown. It's important to test the attachment and consider comfort.
There is no single correct method for attaching the sword. If necessary, the sword can also be carried in the left hand at hip height.
Specific dress codes apply to the various events of the conferment ceremony. Detailed instructions can be found on the dress code and etiquette page.
The conferment ceremony is held in the university’s great hall, where the number of seats is limited. The conferment committee cannot guarantee access to the great hall until the number of participants and invited guests is known. Information about family members being able to attend the ceremony in the great hall will be provided separately to graduands in spring, and available seats will be allocated in May.
The conferment committee is responsible for ensuring all events of the conferment ceremony are documented through photography. Information about the distribution and sale of photographs and the memorial book about the conferment ceremony will be given to the graduands after the event. During the conferment ceremony, photography and video recording in the great hall are strictly prohibited due to the dignified nature of the occasion. Graduands are asked to inform their guests and relatives about the photography restrictions.
Attendance at the rehearsals is mandatory if you plan to participate in the showcase dances (doctoral polonaise and master's française). However, you may participate in other dances even if you haven't attended the rehearsals. These free dances are so-called old dances.
Everyone participating in the doctoral polonaise must wear black. If your partner is dressed in white during the conferment ceremony, she must change to a black outfit for the polonaise. If your dance partner for the polonaise is a master’s graduand, she must remove her wreath for the duration of the polonaise.
The master's française is a dance whose visual concept is based on the patterns formed by dancers dressed in black and white. A couple wishing to participate must have one person dressed in a tuxedo and the other in a white gown. If you and your partner are dressed in the same colour for the conferment, one of you will need to change attire to participate in the master's française.
However, you do not need to dance the française with your own partner; you can also dance with another master's graduand attending the conferment without a partner. Pairs can be mixed as needed. It’s recommended to attend the first dance rehearsal where pairs are formed.
The wreath-binding and sword-sharpening dinners are held separately, which unfortunately means you will not be able to attend the same event on Thursday evening. Master’s graduands attend the wreath-binding dinner, and doctoral graduands attend the sword-sharpening dinner.
You should bring your own sewing needle and thread for wreath-binding, and we recommend bringing a thimble, small scissors, and a couple of small safety pins. Both the needle and thread should be strong, and we recommend, for example, bear thread, but other high-quality sewing thread will also suffice. You can ask for advice at sewing supply stores. The thread should be black or dark green. At the wreath-weaving event, there are pre-prepared wreath bases (carcasse), laurel leaves, and satin ribbons.