The Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees of all faculties of the University of Turku was celebrated on 15–16 May 2025. Altogether, 190 doctors and 10 honorary doctors were conferred their degrees in the Ceremonial Conferment.
The Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees is the most prestigious of academic celebrations. At the University of Turku, the Ceremonial Conferment is celebrated according to the tradition that arrived to the Royal Academy of Turku in the 17th century from Paris through Uppsala in Sweden and which dates back almost 800 years.
The University conferred the degrees of 190 doctors from all eight faculties and 10 honorary doctors. The honorary doctors, chosen by the faculties, receive their title as a recognition for their scientific merits, collaboration with the University of Turku, or for their impact on society. An honorary doctorate is the most prestigious recognition the University can bestow.
Doctoral swords are symbolically sharpened to defend truth at Sword Sharpening Ceremony
The two-day celebrations of the Ceremonial Conferment 2025 started on Thursday, 15 May with the Sword Sharpening Ceremony to honour the new doctors, also called promovendi.
"The focus of the evening is not only on celebrating together but also on the doctoral swords. The Sword Sharpening Ceremony has a long tradition. For centuries, the promovendi have organised these celebrations for each other on the eve of the Conferment Ceremony. The doctoral sword symbolises the sharpness of intellect and the defence of truth. And today we will sharpen our swords," said EdD Suvi Jokila, who hosted the Sword Sharpening Ceremony.
Docent, PhD Saana Myllyntausta gave the speech to the sword.
"The swords we sharpen today and receive tomorrow in the Conferment Ceremony are not intended for combat, that is, in the traditional sense. The doctoral sword symbolises truth. It defends what we as scientists and scholars have found to be good, right and true."
Doctors and honorary doctors celebrated at the Conferment Ceremony – "May the torch of science and scholarship burn brightly today"
The University conferred the degrees of 190 doctors from all eight faculties and 10 honorary doctors in its Ceremonial Conferment 2025.
The Conferment Ceremony took place in Logomo on Friday, 16 May 2025. Rector of the University of Turku Marjo Kaartinen gave an opening speech at the Ceremony.
“We have gathered today to celebrate the most prestigious academic event. We celebrate science, scholarship and research as well as the dedicated work of our doctors, upholding a centuries-old academic tradition. The Ceremonial Conferment involves a great deal of symbolism, through which we show the enormous importance of research and its continuity in the flow of time.”
“Dear promovendi, you represent all eight of our faculties. You have worked long and hard on your research, while contributing to the development of your discipline. Furthermore, the research you have conducted also has a crucial impact on wider society and on people's daily lives.
Kaartinen thanked the honorary doctors for standing at the forefront in defence of the achievements and importance of science, research and higher education together with the University.
“Dear honorary doctors, we are grateful to be able to bestow you the University’s highest recognition for your work, whether it is based on your research, your collaboration with us in other ways, or your social impact. Connections, collaboration, interaction – we need them perhaps more than ever before in this interconnected world.”
The Conferrer of the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science, Professor Jarkko Kari, gave the Ceremonial Conferment speech.
Professor Kari reminded the doctors that they are valued and needed.
“You are appreciated so much that Finland wants a thousand more of you. Last year, the Finnish government launched a pilot project to train 1,000 new doctors, which is a staggering investment in academia, after years of dwindling resources and fierce competition for research funding. It is great that this need is recognised and that efforts are being made to address it. Your expertise is needed in research, in business life, and in decision-making across society. Hold your hats high and keep your swords sharp – metaphorically of course, but without forgetting to defend free science and truth.”
Conferrers:
Professor Jarkko Kari, Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science
Professor Jarmo Hietala, Faculty of Medicine
Professor Niina Nummela, Turku School of Economics
Professor Tuomas Mylly, Faculty of Law
Professor Merja Anis, Faculty of Social Sciences
Professor Mirjamaija Mikkilä-Erdmann, Faculty of Education
Professor Baoru Yang, Faculty of Technology
Ceremonial Conferment Committee:
Master of Ceremonies, Professor Hannu Salmi
Head Marshal, Professor Anna Axelin
Communications Director Anne Paasi
doctoral member Suvi Jokila
doctoral member Einari Kurvinen
doctoral member Saana Myllyntausta
> Read more about the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees
