Information on the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry graduation ceremony
This website provides details on the content, conduct and accessibility of the graduation ceremony to be held at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry on 4 June 2026. Please send any questions and messages concerning the necessary arrangements to viikki-student@helsinki.fi.
Duration and programme
The ceremony in the Great Hall lasts approximately one hour.
The programme includes musical performances whose sound will be reproduced using microphones and speakers.
The programme includes speeches from the podium whose sound will be reproduced using microphones and speakers.
The graduation ceremony will feature a video (duration 2 minutes and 1 second) containing Finnish, Swedish and English speech. The video is adaptively subtitled throughout in the two languages not currently spoken.
In one section of the programme, every graduate will be invited to the podium, by degree programme, to receive the dean’s letter of congratulation and a rose. Graduates' names may be read using a microphone and/or projected onto screens.
A Faculty representative will shake hands with and congratulate each graduate, handing out the letter and rose. Graduates will then stay on stage until all of their peers from the degree programme have been congratulated. The estimated waiting time until all graduates of a degree program have been given their roses is 2 - 5 minutes. Please contact us if you would like individual arrangements instead of this standing wait.
Usually, the audience applauds all graduates of each degree programme jointly, after which they will have a moment to take photos.
No official photos on behalf of the University or the Faculty will be taken.
At the event, speeches can be given in Finnish, Swedish or English, and the language spoken can change mid-speech. Each speech in these three languages will be available in full in writing via a QR code projected at the event. You can read these specific language versions on your own smart device.
There is no real-time captioning or subtitling at the event.
After the programme in the Great Hall, the audience and graduates will move to the catering facilities in the South foyer next to the Great Hall as well as Christina Hall. Participants can choose between sparkling wine with and without alcohol. Both options are available in all catering facilities.
During the catering (roughly 1 hour), graduates and their families and friends can have their portrait taken in room 2071. A photography slot can be booked in advance via a link in the information letter sent to graduates who have registered for the ceremony, but you can also queue to have your photo taken without a reservation. While graduates themselves pay for any desired photos, they can preview the images with a link via email before committing to any purchase.
The facilities are equipped with A3-sized signs for catering and photography.
During the catering, the University of Helsinki alumni network will host a desk near the Great Hall, where you can chat with an alumni team representative and collect an alumni pin.
Sensory stimuli and event participants
The estimated attendance at the event is between 200 and 350 people, of whom graduates will likely number under 100. Because of the number of participants, congestion may occur particularly during arrival and departure. You may also have to queue for a while when catering begins.
Because of the number of participants, noise can also occur particularly during arrival and departure.
We urge everyone to refrain from using strong fragrances.
If necessary, a meeting or lecture room can be booked nearby the Great Hall as a quiet space.
Safer space principles at the graduation ceremony
Each participant is expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and non-discriminatory manner. If you notice harassment or other inappropriate behaviour, please notify the lobby services staff as soon as possible. They are identified by name tags labelled with ‘HY247’. In the event of harassment, lobby services staff will ask the offending person to leave the event.
Route from building entrance to the Great Hall
A shorter route to the Great Hall runs through the courtyard at Yliopistonkatu 2. This route includes a slope of 3.85 degrees at its steepest under the archway. A ramp with a slope of 4.6 degrees at its steepest leads to the entrance. The entrance at Yliopistonkatu 2 leads to a lift on the old side of the Main Building. The width of the entrance to the lift on the old side is 900 mm. The width of the lift is 1,100 mm and the depth 1,370 mm.
Another route to the Great Hall is available via the entrance at Fabianinkatu 33 (new side). A button opens this door mechanically.
A lift is located in the lobby, in front of Helsinki University Museum Flame. The width of the entrance to the lift is 890 mm. The width of the lift is 1,070 mm and the depth 1,460 mm.
The old side of the building (Unioninkatu 34) is accessible by lift via the corridor on the second floor. The entrances to the Great Hall are on the second floor.
For further information on accessibility and, for example, parking spaces, see the accessibility map of the Main Building and the City of Helsinki Service Map.
Access to the Great Hall
The main entrance to the facility is not accessible for people with reduced mobility.
Two other doors with a 42 mm threshold are adjacent to the main entrance. The width of the main entrance is 840 mm, or 1,670 mm with the frame extension open. The main entrance has two thresholds, the first of which is 42 mm and the second, following a small space in between, 32 mm high. The side doors also have two thresholds with a height of approximately 40–50 mm.
An accessible entrance is available on the north foyer side of the Great Hall (on the right side looking from the outside). When necessary, the lobby services staff will open this door. The dimensions below are for the accessible entrance.
Facility door (north foyer)
The door is equipped with a ramp inside with a slope of 8%.
The ramp is not equipped with handrails.
The height of the entrance threshold and/or the level difference is 20 mm or less.
The level difference or threshold height is 12 mm.
The width of the entrance is 660 mm.
The door has a frame extension (double door).
With the extension or the other door open, the width of the entrance is 1320 mm.
The door opens manually and closes automatically with a door-closing mechanism.
The door is heavy and requires a force of 10 N (about 1.02 kg) or more to open.
The lobby services staff are always present to help with the doors, as they are heavy to open and close. The staff also provide guidance on the routes. Attendees who require assistance throughout the event should bring their personal assistants with them.
At the beginning of the event, the lobby services staff will close the doors, but you can leave the facilities and return if necessary.
Getting around in the facility and reserved seats
The facilities have no separately indicated accessible seats. Two curved recesses in the back of the hall can provide one accessible place each. If accessible places are needed during the event, we recommend that you contact us well in advance.
Based on registration, seats will be reserved for graduates in the mid-sections C and D. As a rule, these sections are reserved only for graduates, while their family members and friends are seated in the other sections. If necessary, your personal assistant can sit next to you also in these reserved sections.
If necessary, we can reserve seats that require the fewest steps or shortest route possible. Seats can also be reserved close to the podium. You can enquire about seat reservations directly from the event organiser at viikki-student@helsinki.fi.
The facility has level differences.
The facility is an auditorium.
The entrance to the facility is in the back, with accessible space and room for using aids.
The stairs have 23 steps.
The stairs in the facility have no handrails.
The facility is equipped with fixed furniture.
Guide dogs are permitted at the ceremony.
Auditory environment and lighting in the facility
The facility has an induction loop or another sound transfer system.
The general lighting in the facility is below the recommended level (under 500 lx).
In addition to the general lighting, the graduation ceremony will feature non-flashing colour lighting.
On advance request, interpretation in sign language can be arranged. In such cases, we are also happy to reserve seats that are well-situated for following the interpretation.
Accessible WC
For details on the accessibility of the building’s toilet facilities, see the City of Helsinki Service Map. The accessible toilet closest to the Great Hall is on the first floor next to the accessible entrance in the courtyard at Yliopistonkatu 2.
Photography room details
Access to the facility
Room 2071 is not accessible through its entrance for people with reduced mobility.
The height of the door threshold is over 20 mm.
Facility door
The level difference or threshold height is 24 mm.
The width of the entrance is 890 mm.
The door has a frame extension, or the door is a double door.
With the extension or the other door open, the width of the entrance is 1,270 mm.
The door opens and closes manually.
The door is light and requires a force of under 10 N (about 1.02 kg) to open.
Getting around in the facility
The floor of the facility is level.
Furniture
The facility has movable furniture. During the graduation ceremony, the photographer’s backdrop, additional light and movable camera stand will be in the facility, the backdrop partly on the floor.
Auditory environment and lighting in the facility
The facility is not equipped with an induction loop or other sound transfer system.
The general lighting of the facility is sufficient (500 lx or more).
The general lighting can be adjusted, for example, for brightness and direction. The photographer uses an additional light and a flash.
