Traditions and celebrations

The inauguration of new professors is an academic ceremony with a long history at our universities at which we publicly welcome new professors – the university’s most eminent representatives for the various scientific subject areas. The ceremony also highlights their research profiles for the benefit of colleagues and the public and thus disseminates information about the subject areas offered and developed by Chalmers.

A Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony is the academic ceremony that honors those who have been awarded a doctorate. At Chalmers, a conferment ceremony is held every year, usually on a Saturday in May. Chalmers has had the right to award doctoral degrees since 1940. Since then, 229 honorary doctors, 3,691 PhDs (teknologie), 416 PhDs (filosofie), 3 PhDs (ekonomie) and 1 PhD (medicine) have been conferred (as of May 2025). 

Graduation ceremonies followed by a graduation dinner are organised by Chalmers University of Technology to pay tribute to the achievements of newly graduated architects, sea captains, naval engineers, civil engineers, Masters of Science in Engineering and also graduates in the programmes that conclude with a Bachelor's degree.

Chalmers University of Technology has its origins in the “Industrie Skole” (‘trade school’) that opened in Gothenburg on 5 November 1829 under the name “Chalmersska Slöjdskolan” (‘Chalmers Technical School’), paid for with a legacy from William Chalmers (1748-1811), a director of the Swedish East India Company.

Chalmers has a long tradition of honoring and highlighting Nobel laureates through various events.

The Honorary Doctorate at Chalmers is awarded as recognition of a particularly eminent and substantial professional achievement linked to areas of competence at Chalmers.

Every Autumn, Chalmers has an annual celebration to honour the university.