Conferment ceremonies

With some changes and adaptations, conferment ceremonies have been part of Finnish academic traditions throughout the centuries.  It is rare for any festive ceremony to remain largely unchanged since the early days of its inception. Conferment ceremonies are indeed a prime example of truly well-preserved intangible cultural heritage. The tradition of confirming master’s degrees was added to the Finnish National Inventory of Living Heritage in 2017. 

Conferment ceremonies date back to the Middle Ages: The universities of Bologna and Paris held such ceremonies as early as the 13th century. At the University of Helsinki, formerly the Academy of Turku from 1640 to 1827 and the Imperial Alexander University of Finland from 1827 to 1918, the practice of holding conferment ceremonies was established early, as the first ceremonial conferment of degrees was held by the Faculty of Philosophy in 1643, only three years after the founding of the Academy. Since then, the tradition has continued almost uninterrupted and has been adopted by other faculties and universities. The conferment ceremony of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Helsinki continues to be the largest such ceremony in Finland. 

At the Academy of Turku, the conferment ceremonies of the Faculty of Philosophy were celebrated in an almost unchanged manner as one-day events for conferring only master’s degrees until the early 19th century. The ceremony began with a get-together at the conferrer’s home, from where the graduands walked in a procession to the Academy building to be conferred with their degrees by the conferrer. Many features of present-day conferment ceremonies, such as processions and the ceremonial question presented to the highest ranking master graduand, were already present in these early ceremonies. The symbolism related to conferment ceremonies has also been preserved unchanged throughout the centuries. For instance, the laurel wreath served as the symbol of the achievements of master’s graduates already in the 18th century. Likewise, the ceremony itself continues to start with the conferrer’s speech and end with the speech by the second highest ranking graduand. The conferment festivities included three events: the ceremony of conferring degrees, a church service and a banquet. The Academy operated in modest settings and degrees were conferred on men only.

In the 19th century, the University played a central role in society with conferment ceremonies and other academic festivities being almost the only public celebrations in the Grand Duchy of Finland. These festivities offered the political elite and educated class an opportunity to get together at a time of underdeveloped media and long distances. Consequently, conferment ceremonies had great social and national significance.  In the course of the 19th century, the conferment ceremony traditions acquired many features that have survived to date, such as the conferment of jubilee masters and the conferment of doctoral degrees at the same ceremony with the conferment of master’s degrees. In the 1850s singing the national anthem of Finland became an established part of the ceremonies,  and in the 1870s, the duration of the celebrations stretched to three or four days. New events were added, such as the conferment ball in the 1880s, when a perfect venue became available with the completion of a new student building (today known as the Old Student House). This also meant that conferment ceremonies attracted more participants and evolved into grand social events. The history of these ceremonies is well known because the press covered them extensively.

Specifically Finnish features

Gradually the practice of conferring master’s degrees at conferment ceremonies died out in other countries while in Finland the festivities developed features of their own. One uniquely Finnish speciality is the selection of the ceremonial or official wreath weaver (originally wreath weaveress). Master's conferment ceremonies in Helsinki were already seen in the 1840s as a Finnish tradition that strengthened Finnish national identity. At the same time, master's conferment ceremonies had already disappeared from universities in many other countries, but in Finland, the academic conferment festivities and their symbols were associated with patriotism and therefore preserved. During the Faculty of Philosophy's 1850 conferment ceremony, the song Vårt land ("Our Land") was sung at the end of the conferment act for the first time, becoming an established part of the conferment programme. At the same time, because of the nationalistic spirit, the whole tradition was threatened by the tense relations between the Russian regime and the Finns. In fact, the arrangement of conferment ceremonies was possible only with the consent of the Russian Emperor.

Once Finland became independent, the tradition could continue uninterrupted. The first ceremonial conferment of degrees in the newly independent Finland took place in 1919. After the Second World War, there was an altogether 14-year break in arranging conferment ceremonies; the previous break of equal duration goes back to the 18th century and the time of the Great Northern War. After such a long pause the arrangements proved challenging, for the many minute details of the ceremony were almost forgotten. This gave rise to the practice of writing a booklet of each conferment ceremony held. In the 1970s the conferment of degrees was considered old-fashioned and elitist, and the ceremonies became more low-key. However, in the 1980s attitudes changed, and conferment ceremonies rose to new heights in popularity. 

Conferment ceremonies have their roots in European academic traditions, but developed into a specifically Finnish cultural phenomenon. Throughout the centuries, it has been agreed that celebrating the achievements of master's and doctoral graduates in a splendid manner is part and parcel of academic life. The tradition of conferment ceremonies has been considered to be a valuable component of Finnish academia, retaining its vigour even through difficult times. Yet, the tradition has evolved in new directions as each ceremony and its organising committee have attempted to add a new touch to the centuries-old ritual.

The tradition of the conferment ceremony continues to flourish. In recent years, conferment committees have had no lack of volunteers and in the 2000s the ceremonies have attracted record numbers of participants. Currently the future of the conferment institution looks bright and secure, although it is possible that at some point, the tide will turn as it did in the 1970s and the ceremony will again be considered outdated, elitist and unsuitable for modern times.

Recent developments in the academic world can be seen as the greatest threats to the tradition of the conferment ceremony when the effects of cuts to funding for universities and students will become evident, not to mention the restrictions to the duration of studies. Because of the significance of conferment ceremonies to the academic community, universities support the arrangement of these ceremonies by providing funding and facilities for the festivities. As university finances tighten, financial support for conferment ceremonies will also decrease, which will result in higher participation fees and, consequently, lower participant numbers. Unfortunately, the general increase in prices can also be seen in the finances of conferment ceremonies. But on a more positive note, much welcomed partnerships with foundations and private donors wishing to support the tradition currently work to alleviate the situation.

The pressure to reduce the duration of studies and expedite graduation presents a challenge to students to actively participate in extracurricular activities and uphold academic traditions. Many of the special features of conferment ceremonies spring from Finnish student traditions that have become familiar to the participants during their studies, such as the annual celebrations of student nations and other student organisations. If students have fewer opportunities to participate in student activities, the future organisers of conferment ceremonies will not necessarily have the required solid knowledge of academic traditions.

Nevertheless, the conferment ceremony has persisted through almost 400 years of Finnish history marked by many wars, famines and political upheavals. It can safely be assumed that the tradition can maintain its vigour and continue to subsist in even challenging circumstances. The strength of the tradition is furthermore boosted by the fact that each conferment ceremony is able to adapt to its times. This is why it is important that conferment ceremonies are organised by the young generations themselves, for only they have an insight into which social symbols and phenomena need to be taken into account and thus put their own stamp on the tradition. Examples from the 21st century include the first young men selected as official wreath weavers and secular services held in parallel with conferment church services in all faculties. Often trends in history have first surfaced among the academic elite and then spread among the general public. The University itself follows phenomena in various fields and adapts to modern development while maintaining its strong identity and roots. 

From the first conferment ceremony in 1643 up to the present, conferment ceremonies have not only been about scholarship and academic achievement, but also about poetry and jubilation. An event involving various art forms speaks of a community spirit spanning over generations, networking, voluntary work and the will to raise topical issues of social importance. For the community, the conferment ceremony is a recurring collective event, but for each individual participant it is a unique experience. A university that is aware of its past does not live in the past – the past lives on in us.