Doctoral degree conferment ceremony 2026

Rehearsal

On 7 May, the day before the Academic Ceremony, a rehearsal will be held at 13:30 at the Borås Congress Centre. During the rehearsal, we will go through all of the elements that will take place during the ceremony. This rehearsal is mandatory. 

Insignia

There are a number of insignia used in connection with the doctoral conferment ceremony to highlight those being awarded a doctorate. At the University of Borås, a hat/laurel wreath, ring, and diploma are used. Which doctoral degree you have earned determines whether you wear a hat or a laurel wreath during the ceremony. Read more about insignia. 

Hat

Doctoral hats are reserved for: 

Doctor of Philosophy in Textile Material Technology (in Swedish: Teknologie doktor i textilteknologi)
Doctor of Philosophy in Fine Arts
Doctor of Philosophy in Caring Science
Doctor of Philosophy in Resource Recovery (in Swedish: Teknologie doktor i resursåtervinning). 

The hats are handmade upon request and you must order and purchase the hat yourself. We recommend that you visit the hat maker so that a measurement of your head and shape can be made correctly. Please inform the Master of Ceremony once you have placed your order. The last date for ordering your doctoral hat is 9 February 2026. 

Please contact Franzéns Hattmakeri to order your doctoral hat:
Franzéns Hattmakeri (the website is only available in Swedish)
Västra Skansgatan 1B
413 02 Göteborg
E-mail: info@franzenshattmakeri.se

The university has a number of doctoral hats to borrow. However, the number of hats and their sizes are limited. We recommend that you purchase your own hat to get it fitted properly to your head. If you still want to inquire about borrowing a hat, please contact the Master of Ceremony.

Laurel wreath

Laural wreaths are reserved for:
Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science
Doctor of Philosophy in Resource Recovery (in Swedish: Filosofie doktor i resursåtervinning)
Doctor of Philosophy in Textile Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Textile Material Technology (in Swedish: Filosofie doktor i textilteknologi).

The university provides wreaths for those who are awarded the doctoral degrees and will make the order. The wreath is handmade upon request and the circumference (centimetres) of your head is needed for making the wreath. Please insert below.

To measure your head for a laurel wreath, it is easiest to do as follows; take the measurement with a measuring tape. Place the bottom edge of the measuring tape at the top edge of your eyebrows and measure horizontally around your head. Be as exact as possible. Remember to consider the hairstyle you intend to have during the event.

Ring

It is optional to buy a ring, but please notify the Master of Ceremony if you do. You take the ring with you to the ceremony. A doctoral ring is available in white or red gold. Please note that the ring must be ordered no later than 1 April 2026.

Suggestion for place of purchase:
Hovjuvelerare Martin Johansson AB
Kungsportsavenyn 27
400 14 Gothenburg
Phone: 031-160050

Pronunciation of your full name

Your name will be announced during the ceremony, and we want to ensure the pronunciation is as accurate as possible. Please record an audio file clearly stating your full name (as provided above) and send it to emily.larsson@hb.se. We need your audio file by 28 March 2026.

Dress code

The dress code for participants in the ceremony is white tie (formal/ceremonial attire) which means:

White tie, a white waistcoat and white bow tie apply. Traditional folk costumes are also welcome, but not tuxedos, dark suits or military uniform. Patent leather shoes are the main choice for a tailcoat, but plain black shoes are also fine.

Formal floor-length gown/skirt. Colour and pattern of your choice. A formal trouser suit or a skirt with a jacket/top also work as well as traditional folk costumes. No open-toed shoes.

Informational briefing

For participants in the Academic Ceremony an informational briefing will be held on Monday, 23 February 2026 at 17:00. You can choose to participate either in person or via Zoom. Following your registration, you will receive a separate calendar invitation via email.

Doctoral thesis title

The title of your doctoral thesis will be printed in ceremonial texts and on the university's website, etc. Therefore, it is important to ensure the correct title have been received from the Degree Certification Office.

Consent

We need your consent to process the information you provide about yourself in the form. The information will be processed by those responsible for the event in order to plan and administer the event, produce printed materials and websites, etc. and communicate with you. The data will be stored within the EU/EEA and will be deleted after the event. The University of Borås is the entity responsible for the data processing, which is based on Article 6.1 (a) of the General Data Protection Regulation (consent). It is entirely voluntary to give consent, and you may withdraw a given consent at any time.

Read more about how the University of Borås processes your data and what rights you have.