Sub sections:
On the day
Registration
Graduands attending their Ceremony must register on the day and be assigned a seat number. Registration opens after 8:00am and the registration tent will be located on the lawns of Booloominbah and will be clearly marked. We ask that graduands register by 9:30am at the latest. We also request that graduands do not leave the campus once they have registered.
Dress code
Academic dress, as appropriate for the awards of the University (opens as a PDF), must be worn by every graduand, and can be hired or purchased through Services UNE.
The Graduation Ceremony is a formal event. Men should wear long sleeves and tie, trousers and shoes. The tie will assist in securing the graduation hood. A jacket is optional according to your preferences and the weather. Women should wear appropriate day wear sufficient to allow the hood to be secured comfortably around the neck, and to avoid clothing ‘riding up’ due to the weight of the hood hanging behind you. As the ceremony is outdoors and on the lawns, thin heels are not advised.
There will be staff available on the day to assist you with how to wear academic dress.
Guests
Since the Ceremony is held outdoors, graduands may bring as many guests as they wish.
Disabled and elderly guests may be dropped off (and collected) at the disabled parking bay near Booloominbah. Safety & Security personnel will be available to assist these guests to the Ceremony seating area. As a graduand, to arrange for your disabled or elderly guests to have access to this ‘drop off’ service, please contact the Graduation Team via AskUNE so that we can arrange to provide your name (ie the graduand’s name) to Safety & Security personnel. Your guests will just need to mention your name to personnel and they will be allowed to drive up closer to Booloominbah. Please note that this is a drop off point only and that parking is not permitted at Booloominbah for the Ceremony.
Please understand, however, that only those people participating in the Ceremony will be permitted to remain in the area set aside for the Graduation Ceremony, such as graduands, academics, staff, official photographers and other authorised persons. Your guests will have to remain in the areas reserved for guests.
Parking
Special Event Parking is usually opened especially for Graduation days to allow for the higher volume of vehicles, and shuttle buses normally operate from these areas to locations that are only a short walk to the Graduation area at Booloominbah. They also operate in reverse. Additionally, to park in lime green parking bays on weekdays, you will need to purchase a parking coupon. There is no need to pay for parking on weekends. For more information about visitor parking, please visit the Campus Services website.
The Ceremony
The Ceremony begins at 10:30am sharp and, for this to occur, we ask that all graduands be seated by 10:15am at the latest in their assigned seat number. Those graduating must remain seated for the duration of the Ceremony. The Ceremony lasts approximately two hours and, as it is held outside, graduands and their guests are advised to bring sunscreen and a drink.
Order of Proceedings
- After the Chancellor has opened the proceedings, the Chancellor will ask the Vice-Chancellor to present any candidates for the award of degrees honoris causa. The Occasional Address will then be delivered. There will be a five-minute musical interlude.
- After the musical interlude, the Chair of the Academic Board rises and says to the Chancellor, the graduands now standing:
- Chancellor, I submit to you a list of candidates, as listed in the programme, who have completed all requirements and are entitled to be admitted to their respective academic degrees and awards.
- The Chancellor responds, and the graduands remain standing:
- In the name of the Council and by my authority as Chancellor I admit these candidates to their respective degrees and awards.
- The graduates are now asked to be seated. The Chair of the Academic Board then reads out the attributes of the New England Award and acknowledges those present who are receiving the award.
- The graduates newly admitted to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy who are present are now individually presented to the Chancellor by the Chair of the Academic Board, who says:
- Chancellor, I have the honour to present to you those candidates newly admitted to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy who are able to be present at this ceremony.
- The Chair of the Academic Board reads out the names of the candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. As the candidates’ names are read out the candidates move to a position in front of the Chancellor where they acknowledge the Chancellor by doffing their caps. The Chancellor shakes their hand and the candidates then return to their seats.
- After the presentation of the candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy the candidates for the Masters Degrees, Graduate Diplomas, Graduate Certificates, Bachelor degrees, and Diplomas/Certificates are presented in the order in which they are listed in the Official Programme. All graduands should acknowledge the Chancellor on presentation, by doffing their caps.
- At the conclusion of the ceremony the Esquire Bedell will lead the Chancellor and the academic procession from the dais. Graduates are asked to stand as the procession leaves, joining in the procession to follow the academics.
Wet weather
In the event of extreme weather conditions, the Ceremony will be moved indoors to Lazenby Hall, and may be split into morning after afternoon Ceremonies, 10:30am for surnames A – J and 2:30pm for surnames K – Z. Registration for the afternoon Ceremony commences at 1:00pm.
In the case of wet weather, only two guests can view the Ceremony in the Hall, while additional guests may view the Ceremony from an adjacent theatre. As wet weather is a possibility, graduands and their families need to allow the entire day for the Ceremony.