Small-scale diploma ceremonies for online PhD graduates

In a series of small-scale diploma ceremonies over five Saturdays in a row, some 100 PhD graduates, who defended their theses online at the UvA, received their PhD certificates. The ceremonies took place between September 12 and October 10, before the partial lockdown took effect. Due to the corona crisis, all PhD defence ceremonies at the UvA took place online in the period from March to July. Candidates had to defend their theses online, and not in the Aula or the Agnietenkapel as is usual. 'A very different kind of experience than usual, when the candidate is surrounded by family, friends and colleagues. When we were forced to switch to online PhD defences, it was immediately clear to us that we wanted to organise festive ceremonies as soon as the situation permitted us to do so,' says Rector Magnificus Karen Maex. 'The PhD defence ceremony is a unique moment.