About the academic ceremony
The academic ceremony is a European university tradition with roots in the Middle Ages and in ancient symbolism. The Swedish Defence University held its first academic ceremony, including a doctoral conferment and the installation of professors, in 2024.
The Swedish Defence University rests on a 200-year tradition of military education and the study of war, conflict, crisis, and societal security. At the same time, we are a young university: in 2008, the Swedish Defence University became a higher education institution under the Ministry of Education, and since 2018 we have had degree-awarding powers at all academic levels.
Our academic ceremony, featuring the inauguration of professors and the conferment of doctoral degrees, is held every other year. On this occasion, new associate professors (docents), honorary doctors, and prize recipients are also recognised. The first academic ceremony to include new doctoral graduates from the Swedish Defence University’s own doctoral programmes took place in 2024.
Celebrating academic achievements
An academic ceremony celebrates scholarly achievements and distinctions. For example, new professors are formally installed in their posts, doctoral graduates and honorary doctors are conferred, and new associate professors are recognised. It is also an occasion on which prizes and medals of merit are awarded.
Different parts of the ceremony and its insignia
The doctoral conferment ceremony is the most important and most tradition-laden of the academic ceremonies. During the conferment, new doctoral graduates are awarded the insignia of scholarship as outward symbols of their distinction: hat, diploma, and ring. At the Swedish Defence University, a sabre is also presented, symbolising the institution’s distinct military character.
Doctoral Insignia
As proof that a doctoral graduate has been formally conferred, four insignia are presented:
- The doctoral hat symbolises academic freedom and authority, and is awarded to both doctoral graduates and honorary doctors.
- The diploma is the written proof of the distinction.
- The gold ring, adorned with the institution’s coat of arms and oak leaves, symbolises the recipient’s fidelity to scholarship and is awarded only to honorary doctors.
- The artillery sabre, model m/1893 OF, with a nickel-plated scabbard and portepee, is the most ceremonial of sabres. It traces its origins to the artillery officer Carl von Cardell, who founded the Higher Artillery College at Marieberg in 1818.
Professorial insignia
The inaguration of new professors - those who have taken up their posts during the preceding year - formally welcomes them to the institution and is conducted by the Vice-Chancellor of the Swedish Defence University. As proof of their installation, two insignia are presented:
- The diploma is the written proof of the distinction.
- The stole, a genuine woollen craft piece, symbolises the recipient’s formal entry as the foremost representative of a research discipline.
New associate professors
New docents (associate professors) are recognised and awarded a certificate of appointment. The title of docent is an academic teaching qualification dating back to the nineteenth century and traditionally confers the venia docendi—the right to teach.
Vice-Chancellor Robert Egnell wearing the chain of office and robe on the ceremonial day in 2024.
Dean Kjell Engelbrekt.
The Vice-Chancellor’s insignia
The Vice-Chancellor’s insignia, in the form of a robe and a chain of office, signify his role as the University’s spokesperson and principal representative.
The chain of office was created in 2008, when the Swedish Defence University was established as a higher education institution. On one side, the chain is adorned with the University’s heraldic coat of arms. On the other, it features the Marieberg bell from the Higher Artillery College, the country’s first higher military education institution and the origin of the Swedish Defence University.
The robes are worn by the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and the promoter.
Our history
From artillery college to university
The Swedish Defence University has a long tradition of military education. Our roots can be traced back to the Artillery College at Marieberg, founded in 1818.
Officer training in Sweden
The most important task of the Swedish Defence University is to provide officer training at different levels.
Previous ceremonies
We celebrated our first academic ceremony on 22 November 2024, where new doctors from the Swedish Defence University's own doctoral programmes were conferred.
