Conferment Officials

Master of ceremonies
Responsible for the progress of the festivities. Red sash.

Head marshal
Supervises the marshals assisting in the conferment festivities and takes part in the ceremony along with the master of ceremonies. Blue sash.

Marshals
Assist the master of ceremonies and the head marshal in the festivities. Guide guests, guard entrances and serve as the guard of honour. Marshals wear a blue-and-white sash and a student cap.

Honorary doctor
An honorary doctorate is a title awarded by the university as a tribute to an especially accomplished person. An honorary doctorate may be granted in order to attract top Finnish or international researchers or other highly accomplished persons into the university community.

Young doctor
A person who defended his or her dissertation at the university and thus completed the postgraduate degree of Doctor of Science in Technology or Economics and Business Administration or Doctor of Philosophy.

Doctor primus/prima
Dissertation approved with distinction and the other postgraduate studies evaluated as excellent.

Conferment ceremony
The main event, the actual conferment of doctoral degrees.

Conferrer of degrees
The person who presents the doctoral regalia − the hat and sword. Each scientific discipline at the university (technology, business and philosophy) has its own conferrer.

Promovendi
Recipient of the doctoral degree.