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Tampere University organised a virtual graduation ceremony

Published on 8.6.2020
Tampere University
Punaisia ruusuja.
On Friday 5 June 2020, graduates from the spring semester were celebrated online. You can join the festivities by watching a recording of the speeches and musical performances.

In 2020, a total of 595 Bachelors, 784 Masters, and 72 Doctors had graduated by 1 June. The numbers will still slightly increase by the end of June because new degrees are being entered in the academic record daily.

President Mari Walls gave the opening speech in the virtual celebration.

"Graduation is always an important and memorable moment. You are celebrating this major milestone in extraordinary times, having entered the final stretch towards graduation during a time period that has so quickly and profoundly changed our daily lives", President Walls stated.

"In March, Tampere University made a transition to remote operations in education, research and support services in the space of just a few days. Maintaining academic progress and completing a degree during the covid-19 lockdown has required exceptional creativity and perseverence from all our students and staff."  

"Our slogan “Human Potential Unlimited” – “Ihminen ratkaisee” – perfectly embodies the main resources we have all needed this spring: creative problem solving and the ability to adjust",President Walls said.

This year, Environment and Development Director, Doctor of Science (Tech.) Kari Kankaala from the City of Tampere gave the speech of an alumnus.

“What should we think today? More and more people are pondering whether their jobs correspond to their moral and ethical values. What is right and what is wrong? What is sustainable and what is not? Am I accelerating or curbing the climate change? Big questions do not need to create existential angst. However, if one can approach such questions via a meaningful framework, it is easier to make decisions. The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic or the inevitable progression of climate change will make these considerations increasingly important and relevant to all of us,” Kankaala said.

Students were represented in the ceremony by M.A. Sanni Kurvinen who gave the student’s speech and Annika Nevanpää, Chair of TREY, who greeted the graduates on behalf of the student union.

“You should not say goodbye to this university because its doors will not close behind you permanently. You are always welcome back as postgraduate students, alumni or lifelong learners, or when you want to study for a different career altogether. You will always be a member of this community even though you might no longer be physically present in the reading rooms,” Nevanpää encouraged the graduates in her greeting.

Festive music was performed by the string quartet of the Tampere Academic Symphony Orchestra and the Teekkarikuoro choir, which sang the traditional ‘Gaudeamus igitur’ song.

A recording of the speeches and musical performances may be watched from 18.00 on Friday 5 June 2020 on the Tampere University’s YouTube channel. Welcome to join the graduation ceremony!

All students graduating in the spring semester of 2020 are also warmly welcome to the graduation ceremonies that will be organised in December 2020. The dates of the ceremonies will be announced in September.