Information to new professors, honorary doctors and recipents of the Medal of Merit
Welcome to the Annual Celebration 16-18 October 2025. On this page you find the programme for the event. You will also find information about what is expected of you, as a guest of honour, and things you and your guests need to know.
Who counts as a new professor at the Annual Celebration 2025
Professors (not adjunct professors or visiting professors) whose employment has been decided on at the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Meeting from 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2025 or who have been appointed previously and postponed their participation.
Before the Annual Celebration 2025
Your registration
The invitation will be sent in June and registration closes 15 August.
The registration is made via link in e-mail to the Vice-Chancellor’s reception, Ceremony and Banquet. In the registration, you also state your lecture title.
Note that to participate in the Banquet and the Vice-Chancellor’s reception, it is required that you attend the Ceremony.
Registration of guests and potential costs for the banquet
The registration of guest is sent by e-mail after you, yourself, have registered.
A confirmation of the guest registrations is sent by e-mail after you register.
The university invites you and one guest to the Vice-Chancellor's reception and to the banquet.
You can invite additional guests to the banquet at a cost of SEK 1050 per adult and SEK 650 per person under 18 years of age, and we usually do not need to limit the number of guests. The invoice will be sent after the Annual Celebration to the address you provide when you register your guests. You and your guests are seated together at the banquet.
All guests you invite to the banquet will be given a reserved seat at the ceremony. You can also register guests who will only attend the ceremony, and these will be placed near your banquet guests. There is no limit to the number of guests at the ceremony.
Cancellations
If you or any of your registered guests can not attend, you must report this as soon as possible to arshogtid@umu.se.
Please note that we will charge a cover fee for cancellations to the Banquet made after Friday 10 October at 13:00.
Prepare your attire according to the dress code
The Annual Celebration Ceremony requires a certain dress code for guests of honor, but also for your guests. This means that you need to wear formal attire for some of the events.
You can purchase, hire or borrow clothes. Please make sure to prepare well before the Annual Celebration.
Contact the travel agency and taxi to the airport (for honorary doctors)
If you need answers from the travel agency Express Global Business Travel (GBT) after 17:00 or during the weekend, please call +46 850 25 23 01. During office hours Monday to Friday at 9:00 to 17:00, you can reach them both by phone and e-mail se.travel@amexgbt.com, but you will get the fastest answer by phone.
If you have a taxi booked to the airport (Flygtaxi) and need to get in touch with them for possible change or cancellation contact them directly at 010-140 77 77 (Support for the Chamber's contract customers). Button selection #1 Urgent change or cancellation of an existing booking or request for a car.
Programme
The attire is optional unless otherwise stated
Thursday, 16 October
The Teaching Awardee Panels 10:15–12:30 in Ljusgården Atrium, the Teacher Education Building
The teaching award recipients and distinguished teachers participate in panel discussions and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Cathrine Norberg will hand out diplomas.
The event is open to the public and it is optional to attend.
Friday, 17 October
Grand opening of the University Library exhibition 11:00–12:00. Location is announced at a later date.
An exhibition of the honorary doctors, new professors and award recipients is presented.
It would be nice of you to attend, however it is optional.
The Faculty luncheon 12:00 in Restaurant Hjortron, Universum
Each faculty will host a luncheon the day before the Ceremony.
An invitation will be or has been sent from the faculty. Registration is required.
Mandatory rehearsal before the Ceremony 13:30–15:00 in Aula Nordica
During the rehearsal, you will find out where you will walk in the procession and where you will be seated on stage during the Ceremony. You will also practice the entrance and exit in the auditorium and practice parts of the Ceremony.
It is mandatory to participate in the rehearsal for all honorary doctors and new professors participating in the Ceremony.
The Vice-Chancellor’s reception 18:00–20:00 in P5, Väven Dress code: Semi-formal attire
The Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University invites new professors, award recipients, honorary doctors and Medal of Merit recipients to a reception the evening before the Annual Celebration Ceremony. Hosts, faculty marshals and University and Faculty management are invited as well. You are welcome to bring one guest to the event. Drinks and snacks are served.
Registration is required.
Saturday, 18 October
Lectures 9:00–12:00 in the Social Science Building and Humanities Building.
No dress code.
It is tradition at Umeå University that honorary doctors, new professors and scientific award recipients each deliver a lecture aimed at the general public. The lecture is 20 minutes long and focuses on the field of research, the work or similar subjects of interest. The scientific award recipients will receive their diploma after their lectures.
The general public is welcome to attend.
More information about the lecture programme will be sent to you by the end of September.
Mandatory procession reception before the Ceremony 16:00 in Universitetsklubben, Aula Nordica Dress code: Formal attire (white tie)
At the procession reception, the new professors, honorary doctors and Medal of Merit recipients attending the ceremony get a chance to meet other guests before lining up for the procession into Aula Nordica. The procession reception is mandatory if you are participating in the Ceremony.
Your guests will not attend the procession reception but are instead welcome to mingle with other guests before taking their seats in the auditorium around 16:30 when the doors open.
Universitetsklubben is on the 4th floor in Aula Nordica.
The Annual Celebration Ceremony 17:00 in Aula Nordica Dress code: Formal attire (white tie) (for spectators not attending the Banquet the attire is optional)
At the start of the ceremony, the honorary doctors, new professors and Medal of Merit recipients will enter the auditorium in procession and take their seats on stage.
The opening addresses will be followed by the conferment of honorary doctors and the inauguration of new professors. Lastly the university's Medals of Merit are handed out. The ceremony is open to the public and will generally take between 1.5 and 2 hours.
All guests who are registered for the banquet receive a reserved seat and you can also reserve seats for guests who are only attending the ceremony.
The Annual Celebration Banquet 19:00 in Restaurant Lingon, Universum Dress code: Formal attire (white tie)
The Annual Celebration Banquet starts with a glass of bubbly beverage straight after the Ceremony. Starter, main course and dessert will be served with wine or non-alcoholic options. Pre-registered speeches will be held over the course of the evening. After coffee is served, the dance floor opens up to music by Renhornen.
You and your guests are seated together at the banquet.
Registration is required.
Children at the ceremony and banquet
The ceremony takes about 1.5–2 hours and we do not recommend young children to attend. However, if younger children still need to attend the ceremony it is important to request special seating, so that the child can easily be brought outside if necessary.
The banquet lasts 3–4 hours and it can be a long time for a child to sit quietly and still. But children are different and as a parent you are best at determining what your child is capable of. At the banquet, children are served the same food as adults, except for the alcoholic beverages.
