At the public examination

The custos determines the language to be used at the public examination after consulting both the doctoral candidate and the opponent(s), as well as the faculty representative(s). The language of the public examination should be Finnish, Swedish or the language in which the doctoral dissertation has been written. The examination may also be conducted in another language if the doctoral candidate agrees to this. The doctoral candidate and the opponent may also use different languages at the public examination if they so agree.

Please note that the language of the public examination also affects the language of the degree diploma. In addition to a Finnish- or Swedish-language diploma, doctoral candidates who have written their dissertation in a foreign language are entitled to an English-language diploma only if the public examination was also held in English.

It is important that the doctoral candidate and the members of the grading committee agree on the dress code for the public examination well in advance of the examination, so that everyone is dressed accordingly. This also applies to remote public examinations. In remote public examinations, the dress code requirements may be flexible if the event is organised remotely in its entirety. However, it is important to keep in mind the dignified nature of the event with regard to dress, also when organising a remote public examination. Please pay attention to the cropping of the camera both with regard to the background and your outfit. A tailcoat is the most common dress for men, but a dark suit is also a good choice for a dissertation. Women usually wear a long-sleeved, high-necked short black dress or two-piece suit.

It is also recommended that you discuss in advance how the event will proceed so that during the event the focus can be solely on the matter at hand. Detailed instructions related to how the public examination will proceed, including dress code and forms of address, are available on the University’s Welcome to the public examination webpage. The page is available in Finnish, Swedish and English and it is aimed at both doctoral candidates and opponents as well as members of the grading committee. The same protocol is followed in remote public examinations as far as possible. However, it is worth noting that in remote public examinations, the standing parts of the protocol at the beginning and end of the examination can be performed seated if necessary. If the parts are held standing, it is important to remember to check before the event that the speaker is shown on the camera and the sound is heard through the microphone properly, also when standing.

If you wish, the remote connection of the public examination can be kept open for a while after the custos has ended the examination so that the online audience can convey their congratulations. When needed, make necessary arrangements with the event’s AV support person before the beginning of the public examination.

The public examination begins with a doctoral candidate's introductory lecture (lectio praecursoria), which lasts no more than 20 minutes. This is followed by the opponent's comments on the dissertation. The opponent is required to present in the public examination all the critique he or she wishes to express on the dissertation. In the written statement provided by the opponent after the public examination, he or she cannot add critique which doctoral candidate was not provided an opportunity to respond to during the public examination.

The opponent’s examination may last four hours at most, after which members of the audience may make comments by asking the Custos for the floor. The overall duration of the public examination may not exceed six hours, but this event is typically considerably shorter.

The post-defence party (in Finnish: karonkka) is also an old academic tradition. It is a party after the public examination, organised by the doctoral candidate to thank the opponent, the custos and other people who contributed to the dissertation. The opponent is the guest of honour. 

There is also a protocol for organising the post-defence party, but each doctoral candidate can organise a event that suits him or her. It is by no means compulsory to organise a post-defence party - instead of a big party, it is possible, for example, to take the opponent and the custos to dinner on the day of the public examination. The post-defence party is not an official University event and each doctoral candidate is personally responsible for the costs related to their party. This is another reason why it is entirely up to doctoral candidate to decide whether to organise a party.

For more information on the customs and traditions of organising the party, see the university's Welcome to the Public Examination website. You can also ask recently graduated doctors of your research field, supervisors and other members of the academic community for tips on how to organise a karonkka.

If the public examination is held remotely, the post-defence party does not need to be organised on the evening of the public examination, but can be arranged at a later date. However, if the opponent is unable to attend the post-defence party, it is still polite to thank them during your speech. It is also recommended to arrange for the opponent to give a short speech either remotely or via a video greeting.