Instructions for participants in the Diploma Conferment Ceremony
What is the Diploma Conferment Ceremony?
The graduation ceremony is a celebration for graduating students and an event where degrees are announced. At the ceremony, the faculty presents certificates to the graduates. The ceremony program includes performances, speeches, and coffee.
Please note that registration for the graduation ceremony is done through the graduation application, and no separate invitation will be sent for the event. The dates of upcoming graduation ceremonies are listed at the bottom of this page. Graduates can participate in the graduation ceremony following their graduation.
How should I dress for the ceremony?
The dress code for the prom is a dark suit. More detailed instructions on what to wear can be found on the university website (in finnish), but here is a summary. The purpose of dressing smartly is to create a festive atmosphere for the occasion. NOTE! These instructions summarize the dress code for the Bachelors and Masters Diploma Conferment Ceremony, not for the Doctoral Conferment Ceremony.
Graduating as a Master of Science in Engineering or Architecture: Remember to bring your Teekkari cap to the event. You can put your Teekkari cap on when you arrive at the event, but don’t straighten the string before the event!
If you are graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Architecture, please do not wear your Teekkari cap to the ceremony.
Men
A dark suit for men means a black or dark blue suit (pinstriped, plain, with or without a waistcoat), accompanied by a white shirt and handkerchief and a gray tie, which may be patterned if desired. The cut of the suit may vary. Shoes should be neat, black, and usually thin-soled, and socks should be black or dark. It is important that the socks are not white. A combination of dark-colored pants and a jacket is also acceptable, and the color of the shirt and tie may also vary. Shoes may be other than black, but not work shoes or similar. The most important thing is to give a neat impression with your outfit.
Women
The term ”dark suit” is very flexible for women. Suitable options include a jacket suit, skirt and smart blouse, pantsuit, or even a neat dress. There are no rules regarding the length of the dress, so it can be short or long. Shoes should match the outfit in color and style, but otherwise there are no specific requirements. Jewelry and scarves can be worn according to personal taste.
What is the program like?
The public program is usually as follows: First, there is a musical performance and an opening speech, after which the faculties distribute diplomas to the graduates. This is followed by a speech by the chair of OTY, during which those graduating as a Master of Science in Engineering or Architecture perform a knot-opening ceremony as instructed by the chair. More details about the ceremony are provided in the next section. After the knot-opening ceremony, the guilds will remember their former members, and TEK will give a speech to the graduates, followed by a coffee reception. The entire event will last approximately 1-2 hours, depending on the number of graduates.
How are the knots untied?
The chair of OTY first gives a speech, at the end of which a toast is raised to the graduates. After this, the chair invites those graduating as Master of Science in Engineering or Architecture to the front of the hall for the ceremony. When everyone wearing a Teekkari cap has arrived at the front of the hall, the chair instructs them to take off their caps and straighten the strings. When everyone has straightened their strings, the chair instructs them to put their caps back on and return to their seats.
Untying four knots or a slipknot that has been untouched for years is not an easy task, so it is a good idea to loosen the knots at home before the ceremony. It is permissible to turn the knots into a one slipknot, in which case the string can be straightened with a single tug.
Upcoming ceremonies:
- January: Thu 22.1.2026
- March: Thu 12.3.2026
- May: Thu 21.5.2026
- June: Tue 16.6.2026
- August: Thu 20.8.2026