New Tampere University celebrates its second Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees on Saturday 7 June
Watch the ceremony online and the procession along the route
Watch a live stream of the Conferment Ceremony starting from 12.15 on Saturday.
After the Conferment Ceremony, the Conferrer of Degrees, conferred honorary doctors and doctors, the University’s management, professors and other guests form a procession to walk to the Tampere Cathedral park for a church service or a secular event.
The procession is expected to set off from Tampere Hall at approximately 15.55 and it will follow the route of Yliopistonkatu – Tammelan puistokatu – Vellamonkatu – the Rongankatu tunnel – Rongankatu – Rautatienkatu – Satakunnankatu – Tuomiokirkonkatu. The procession can be watched from the pavements along the route. If it rains, the procession will be replaced by bus transportation.
Conferment of doctoral degrees highlights the value of academic work
The ceremonial conferment of doctoral degrees is the most prestigious of academic celebrations and a tradition that spans several centuries. The purpose of the conferment ceremony is to highlight the value of and respect for research and education.
The events of the Conferment of Doctoral Degrees are arranged over three days on 6–8 June. The main event, the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees, takes place at Tampere Hall at noon on Saturday 7 June. At the Conferment Ceremony, doctors and honorary doctors receive the doctoral hat as a symbol of academic freedom and – with the exception of Doctors of Science in Technology or Architecture and Doctors of Philosophy representing the field of technology – the doctoral sword.
A total of 209 doctors, who have earned their degree at the new Tampere University or its predecessors, will be conferred at the all faculties’ joint Conferment Ceremony.
In addition, 13 honorary doctorates will conferred. The University’s seven faculties have invited persons from Finland and abroad to accept honorary doctorates in recognition of excellence in fields represented at the University and other exceptional scientific, artistic or social merits. The title of Honorary Doctor is the highest recognition that a university can award.
Honorary doctors to be conferred:
Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
- Luca Benini, Professor of Electronics, University of Bologna, Italy, and ETH Zürich, Switzerland
- Mia Consalvo, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Game Studies & Design, Communication Studies, Concordia University, Canada
- Esko Roine, Actor
Faculty of Management and Business
- Jan Bebbington, Professor, Director of the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, Lancaster University, United Kingdom
- Ari Kaperi, Board professional, former long-time member of Nordea Group’s Executive Management Team and Country Senior Executive in Finland
- Kalervo Kummola, Mayor of Tampere (2023-2025), CEO of various companies, Member of Parliament (1999–2003), Vice President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (2003–2021)
Faculty of Education and Culture
- Anita Lehikoinen, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture (2013−2025)
- Jane Wilkinson, Professor of Educational Leadership, Monash University, Australia
Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
- Wei Zhang, Professor of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University, United States
Faculty of Built Environment
- Alan C. McKinnon, Professor of Logistics, Kühne Logistics University, Germany
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
- Pierangelo Metrangolo, Professor of Chemistry, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Faculty of Social Sciences
- Eila Häihälä, Counsellor of Health (Finnish honorary title), nursing teacher and assistant principal of Tampere College of Nursing (1987–1999)
- Richard M. Ryan, Professor, Institute for Positive Psychology & Education, Australian Catholic University, Australia, and Distinguished Professor, College of Education, Ewha Womans University, South Korea
