PhD dinner
It is your choice whether to organize a PhD dinner, and you must cover the costs. The event should take place on the same day as the public defence. You are free to organize the dinner as you please.
It is usual for the master of ceremonies, the third member of the adjudication committee and the supervisor to deliver speeches. According to tradition, the doctoral candidate will also give a speech, thanking the university, the committee, the academic community, family members, etc.
The adjudication committee will notify the faculty that the trial lecture/s and public defence have been passed. Based on this approval, the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) will be conferred on the candidate by the University Board.
The University of Oslo holds four conferral ceremonies per year, where the Deans present the faculties' candidates and present them with a diploma. The ceremony is usually held at Gamle festsal, the university’s ceremonial venue. The central administration of the University of Oslo is responsible for inviting future doctors to the ceremony. The date of your public defence determines which conferral ceremony you will be invited to.
Read more about the conferral ceremony (only in Norwegian)
PhD diplomas
The awarding of PhD diplomas is the main purpose of the conferral ceremony. Candidates who have completed their public defence receive two diplomas:
- a diploma with text in Latin (the commemorative version)
- a supplement to the diploma ("diploma supplement") for practical use
The text of the A4 diploma supplement is in Norwegian (English for foreign students).
If you cannot attend the conferral, the diploma will be sent to your home address after the ceremony.
Temporary documentation
The conferral ceremony often takes place a few months after the PhD examination, as the ceremonies are only held every quarter, and a certain amount of preparation time is needed. If you need documentation that you have completed a PhD before the date of the conferral, the Research Consultant can provide a short letter of confirmation. You must contact the faculty yourself in such cases.