Spring Graduation at Umeå University: Celebrating Teachers, Researchers, and the New Vice-Chancellor

Spring Graduation at Umeå University: Celebrating Teachers, Researchers, and the New Vice-Chancellor

(IN BRIEF) Umeå University will celebrate its Spring Graduation on 15 and 17 May 2025, with ceremonies recognizing outstanding teachers, new doctors, jubilee doctors, and the installation of Tora Holmberg as Vice-Chancellor. A total of 34 teachers will be honored, and 86 new doctors, along with 18 jubilee doctors, will receive their doctoral insignia. Tora Holmberg will be formally installed as Vice-Chancellor, with the ceremonial placing of the gold Vice-Chancellor chain. The chain, a symbol of the university’s dignity, was first presented by King Gustav VI Adolf in 1965 and will now bear Holmberg’s name.

(PRESS RELEASE) UMEÁ, 1-May-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Umeå University is gearing up for its annual Spring Graduation celebration, with a series of ceremonies that will honor the institution’s excellent teachers, newly conferred doctors, jubilee doctors, and the installation of Tora Holmberg as the university’s new Vice-Chancellor.

The festivities will kick off on Thursday, 15 May, with the ceremony for excellent and merited teachers. A total of 34 educators, appointed between autumn 2023 and autumn 2024, will be recognized for their dedication to teaching. Each teacher will receive a pin, and will be personally thanked by representatives of the university management, students, and fellow teaching staff.

“Teachers are one of the cornerstones of the university’s activities. It feels good to recognize them on one of our most festive occasions. We are hoping for a great turnout,” says Cathrine Norberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for education at Umeå University. The ceremony will be held in Ljusgården on Campus Umeå from 12:30 to 13:15, and is open to all interested parties.

The Spring Graduation ceremony will continue on Saturday, 17 May, in Aula Nordica at Universum, Campus Umeå, where researchers will be celebrated. This year, 86 new doctors and 18 jubilee doctors will be conferred, including seven jubilee doctors present at the ceremony. Jubilee doctors are those who earned their doctorate 50 years ago. During the ceremony, the traditional doctoral insignia – the doctoral hat or laurel wreath, doctoral ring, and diploma – will be awarded.

“We are incredibly proud of the wide range of socially important and innovative research conducted at Umeå University. This is a moment to truly recognize and celebrate our researchers,” says Peter Sköld, Master of Ceremonies at Umeå University.

One of the most significant moments of the Spring Graduation is the installation of Umeå University’s new Vice-Chancellor, Tora Holmberg, who began her tenure on 1 April 2025. During the ceremony, the former Vice-Chancellor, Hans Adolfsson, will place the gold Vice-Chancellor chain around Dr. Holmberg’s neck, symbolizing the dignity of the office.

“It feels wonderful to wear the Vice-Chancellor chain and be part of one of the university’s most important ceremonies,” said Tora Holmberg. “Though I’ve only had a short time to get to know Umeå University, this ceremonial act will mark a key step in my role as Vice-Chancellor.” Holmberg becomes the ninth Vice-Chancellor in Umeå University’s 60-year history.

The gold Vice-Chancellor chain was first presented in 1965, the year Umeå University was founded, by King Gustav VI Adolf. A gift from the city of Umeå, the chain is crafted from gold sourced from Västerbotten’s mines and was designed by goldsmith Sigurd Persson. It symbolizes the rushing waters of the Ume and Vindel rivers, and includes elements from the Umeå city coat of arms, established in 1646. Today, the Vice-Chancellor chain bears the engraved name of Tora Holmberg.

The installation ceremony will take place at 16:00 on 17 May in Aula Nordica, Universum, Umeå University, and will last approximately 1.5-2 hours. The ceremony is open to the public and will be available for live streaming at umu.se/live. A banquet for invited guests will follow.

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SOURCE: Umeå University