If you are an honorary guest
As a new professor, doctor, honorary doctor, recipient of the Teaching Prize or MDU's Collaboration Medal, you are an honorary guest at the Ceremony. Below please find useful practical information you may need ahead of the Ceremony.
Programme for honorary guests
Thursday 23 April 2026
On Thursday, 23 April 2026 at 13:00-15:00, we would be grateful for your participation in the dress rehearsal of the procession at Västerås Cathedral (not mandatory). You do not need to be formally dressed during the rehearsal.
How the procession works:
The ceremony begins with a procession led by the standard-bearers. During the dress rehearsal, you will be informed of your position in the procession. Once everyone has taken their place in front of their assigned spot on the tiered seating, and the Vice-Chancellor has taken their seat, everyone else sits down and the ceremony commences. All members of the procession wear formal attire, and participants carry their doctoral hat or laurel wreath in the hand furthest from the centre aisle.
Friday 24 April 2026
08:30 Arrival at Kyrkbacksgården to leave your belongings and for registration in the cathedral.
09:30–12:00 Mandatory dress rehearsal of the ceremony, for all honorary guests (please note that no formal attire is required for the rehearsal).
Venue: Västerås Cathedral
12:00–12:45 Lunch for all honorary guests.
Venue: Kyrkbacksgården
12:45–13:30 Change to formal attire, please note there are facilities available for changing to formal attire at Kyrkbacksgården.
13:30–15:00 Photographs will be taken of honorary guests in groups and individually.
Venue: Västerås Cathedral
14:15 All guests and general public take their seats at Västerås Cathedral, no later than 15:15.
Venue: Västerås Cathedral
15:30 The Ceremony starts.
Venue: Västerås Cathedral
Around 18:00 The ceremony concludes. Pick up your belongings at Kyrkbacksgården, followed by bus transport from Västerås Cathedral to Steam Hotel.
18:15 Reception for the honorary guests and invited guests.
Venue: Steam Hotel
19:30 Banquet for honorary guests and invited guests.
Venue: Steam Hotel
Attend and ticket
To attend the Academic Ceremony you need to inform us if you will be participating and therefore please let us know if you can participate or not no.
You have a link in your personal invitation.
As a registered participant, you will receive an SMS on 23 April 2026 with your ticket for registration.
Dress code
For all honorary guests and invited guests who will take part in the Ceremony and the banquet afterwards, formal attire is required.
Formal attire applies, which means a tailcoat with a white waistcoat and white bow tie, or a full-length evening dress. Other guests at the Ceremony may wear optional smart attire.
If you are to be conferred, please keep your doctoral hat or laurel wreath in your lap until the moment of conferral. After this, you wear the doctoral hat or laurel wreath on your head until the ceremony has concluded, and the recessional has left the cathedral.
If you have previously been conferred, you may wear your doctoral hat. Put it on at the same moment as the conferring professor and keep it on until the ceremony has concluded, and the recessional has left the cathedral.
The doctoral hat is not to be worn during the banquet.
Insignia
Insignia are symbolic items that are bestowed at the doctoral degree conferment ceremony. At MDU's doctoral degree ceremony, you can choose between a doctoral hat and a laurel wreath. Doctors may also order a doctoral ring. Please note the deadlines.
Photographs and film
The Academic Ceremony will be documented through taking photographs and by filming the event. If you are an honorary guest or have another prominent role, you will probably be included in the photo or film. The images may be published in public contexts and will be stored in MDU's image bank for three years, after which they will be deleted.
We at MDU wish to draw your attention to this and please contact us at event@mdu.se if you do not want to be included in the photos or on film.
Honorary guests will receive a minute-by-minute schedule for portrait photography, which makes it important that you keep to your allotted time.
How many guests can I invite?
As an honorary guest, you may invite one guest to the Ceremony and the banquet thereafter.
Other interested parties are welcome to attend the Ceremony at Västerås Cathedral.
The minimum age for attending the Academic Ceremony is 18.