Graduation ceremony

Laurea honours students who have completed their degrees at a Graduation Ceremony held twice a year. All students who have completed a bachelor's or master's degree during the previous semester as well as their friends and family are invited to the Graduation Ceremony held in June or December.

The formal Graduation Ceremony puts the spotlight on students who have completed their studies.

Graduation Ceremony traditions include shaking the President's hand, live music and speeches of congratulation. In addition to the President's speech, the event includes a speech made by one of the graduating students.

The graduates are also addressed by a Laurea alumni who is distinguished in working life and a representative of the university's stakeholders. The degree certificates are handed out to the graduating students after the ceremony.

Stipends are also awarded to deserving students during the ceremony. A special President's Award is also presented at the December Graduation Ceremony in recognition of active contribution to building the Laurea community. The first President's Award was presented in December 2014 to the Bachelor of Business Administration Toni Konttinen, who is the former chair of the Laureamko student union.

The use of Laurea robes is a new tradition in the Graduation Ceremony. The new graduates wear a deep blue robe at the ceremony as a symbol of completing their degree. They can also have a photograph taken of themselves in the robe in conjunction with the ceremony.

The Graduation Ceremony is recorded in its entirety and the video of the ceremony can be watched online in real time. This means that friends and relatives all over the world can watch the event. Recordings of previous Graduation Ceremony can be viewed on Laurea's YouTube channel.

For a student, graduation means becoming a member of Laurea's alumni community. During Laurea's 25-year history, more than 20,000 students have graduated from the university with a bachelor's or master's degree. These Laurea alumni constitute a significant group of workplace experts. More information about Laurea's alumni activities is available on the Alumni Activities section of the website.