Doctoral Conferment Ceremonies: Sword Whetting

The doctoral conferment ceremony is a festive academic tradition dating back some 800 years, where the degree of doctor is conferred on doctors and honorary doctors.

Many of the conferment traditions have remained the same throughout the years and the language of the conferment ceremony continues to be Latin. The doctoral insignia are a part of the conferment tradition. The hat symbolises the freedom of science and the sword the sharpness of intellect and the truth. The sword is the weapon of the spirit defending the truth, right and good which are the result of the researcher’s powers of reasoning.

The conferment ceremony events include: the Ceremonial Sword-Whetting, the Conferment Ceremony, the Procession to the church service, the Conferment Banquet and Ball and the Cruise.

Between 5-7 June these festivities are taking place at the University of Tampere. Today there was the sword whetting ceremony, where doctors sharpened their swords with the spouses turning the grinding stone - which can be seen in the picture as well - while an usher poured some champagne on the stone.

The dress code for the day was a long evening dress for ladies and a white tie for the gentlemen.