Happy Holidays

Winter Graduations

Last week, the University community celebrated the success of its most recent graduating class. Winter Graduations are mainly for postgraduate students, Masters and Doctoral, unlike the Summer Graduation, which is when most undergraduate students graduate.

Graduations at the University of Aberdeen follow an ancient traditional format, the main events being the academic procession and the graduation ceremony.

Prior to the ceremony, graduating students (graduands) are called to enter the quadrangle of King’s College, from where the academic procession begins. Students then proceed in a line to Elphinstone Hall, where the ceremony takes place.

At the ceremony, the audience stands for the Academic Procession entering the Hall and sings Gaudeamus. Students are called onto the stage, with their hoods (or gowns for Doctoral graduands) held over their left arm.

A paragraph of Latin is read to confer the degree and then the Chancellor or Pro/Vice-Chancellor touches the head of the graduands with the cap. This is then followed by the Sacrist putting the hood over the head of the student. Trenchers/John Knox caps are only worn by graduates as they process out of the Hall at the end of the ceremony.

New Kings, Aberdeen University

Open Day

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Aberdeen, Scotland