Public defence at Aalto University
Instructions for planning and arranging public defences (for doctoral student and custos)
Doctoral defence and post-doctoral party - karonkka - at the School of Business
The public defence is a ceremonial event that follows the academic traditions of the field. Both the public defence and the post-doctoral party, "karonkka", are traditionally regarded as formal academic occasions that adhere to a predetermined protocol. During the public examination, or defence, the doctoral candidate defends the findings of their thesis against public scrutiny and responds to questions from the opponent, who has been appointed to evaluate the work. The proceedings are overseen by the custos, who is typically the doctoral candidate's main supervisor or thesis advisor. The karonkka party traditionally marks the conclusion of the doctoral journey and is organized by the doctoral candidate to express gratitude to the opponent, the custos, and others who contributed to the thesis.
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Practical instructions
For information on the practical arrangements and IT support, date, place and language of the defence, please see the common instructions for public defence at Aalto University.
Also check out:
Public defence announcement and public display of thesis (aalto.fi)Distribution of thesis (aalto.fi)Graduation (aalto.fi)
The public defence
Please contact [email protected] to reserve the venue for public defence. The public defences are usually held on Fridays at 12 PM though other days and times are also acceptable.
The following auditoriums’ have suitable audiovisual devices:
Ekonominaukio 1
- U006 (64 seats) this is the main defense hall
-
V001-V002 (120 seats), when available
Check the microphones and learn to use them well in advance.
Contact the IT Service Desk at an early stage before the public defence, so that the desired technical arrangements can be made in time.
You may arrange for coffee service at the end of the event at your own expense. To order coffee and refreshments outside the public exam hall, contact Sodexo: [email protected]
Practice your lectio praecursoria out loud with your friends and ask them if they understand it. Check the duration (max. 20 minutes).
Proceedings at the public examination
Here you can find detailed information on the course of events in the public defence.
The public defence is a ceremonial event that adheres to the academic traditions of the respective field.
Arrival
The audience enters the room and takes their seats before the public defence begins. The audience stands up when the candidate, chairperson, and opponent(s) enter the room. The order of entry is as follows: first the candidate, then the chairperson, and finally the opponent(s). The chairperson and opponent(s) may carry their doctoral hats when entering and exiting the auditorium. For the duration of the event, they place the doctoral hats on the table in front of them, with the lyre emblem facing the audience.
Opening of the examination
With the procession arrived, but the audience still standing, the chairperson opens the examination, saying "As the chairperson appointed by the Doctoral Programme Committee of the Aalto University School of Business, I hereby declare the doctoral thesis proceedings open." The audience is then seated, and the custos introduces the doctoral student, the thesis and the opponent(s).
Lectio praecursoria
The public defence begins with the doctoral student standing and delivering their lectio praecursoria. This presentation, which is limited to a maximum of twenty minutes, begins as follows: ‘Honoured custos, honoured opponent(s), esteemed colleagues and valued guests’.
The doctoral student concludes the presentation by stating the following: ‘I now respectfully invite you, Professor/Dr. [Name(s)], as the opponent(s) appointed by the Doctoral Programme Committee of the Aalto University School of Business, to present your comments on my thesis’.
Opponent's opening statement
With the doctoral student still standing, the opponent(s) rises/rise to deliver a brief opening statement, introducing the thesis and its significance within the field of research. After this statement, both the opponent(s) and the student take their seats, and the formal public defence begins.
Examination
In examining the thesis, the opponent(s) typically ask questions about the theoretical positioning, methodology, findings, and contributions of the work. They challenge the candidate to clarify and justify their choices, demonstrating the rigor and originality expected at the doctoral level.
Opponent's closing statement
Once the opponent(s) has/have examined the thesis, they rise to give a brief closing statement, with the doctoral student standing to listen. In the closing statement, opponents typically summarise the contributions, strengths and weaknesses of the thesis, and if they conclude that the student has successfully defended their thesis, they recommend that the DPC of Aalto University School of Business accept the thesis.
Audience comments
While still standing, the doctoral student then thanks the opponent(s) for their comments, turns to the audience and states the following: ‘I now invite any members of the audience who have comments on my doctoral thesis to request the floor from the honourable custos’.
The custos presides. Their role is to keep audience comments reasonably brief and to the point and to guide the discussion between the audience and the doctoral student.
Conclusion
After the questions from the audience, the custos rises and concludes the public defence by declaring the following: ‘The public examination is hereby concluded’. The doctoral student, the custos and the opponent(s) then leave the auditorium in the same order and manner in which they entered.
Typically, the public defence will last between two and three hours, with the possibility of a short break if the custos deems it necessary.
Congratulations take place outside the auditorium.
Dress code
The doctoral student, the custos and the opponent(s) are usually expected to wear formal attire. Traditionally, this may include a tailcoat with a black waistcoat, a black suit, a long-sleeved black dress with a modest neckline or full academic regalia. Military uniforms may also be worn, though without decorations. However, all participants may choose to wear black or the dark attire of their choice that aligns with the occasion.
Post-doctoral party - Karonkka
The post-doctoral party, karonkka, takes place on the evening of the public examination. It is an old academic tradition. The karonkka party is held in honour of the opponent. The doctoral student acts as the host.
Even though there are many traditions involved in a karonkka party, doctoral students can follow their tastes and preferences in the arrangements
It is advisable to make arrangements for the karonkka party well in advance. The event can be held at BIZ main building, Ekonominaukio 1. Further information is available from Sodexo.
- Prepare and send an invitation and a map to your guests.
- Prepare “thank you” speeches to opponent, chairperson, family etc.
- Get a gift for opponent and chairperson.
Invitations to the karonkka party are sent in advance. It is polite for the doctoral candidate to contact the opponent before the public examination and ask whether they can start the party arrangements.
Traditionally, an invitation is extended to the opponent, custos, supervisor, thesis advisors, pre-examiners, co-authors, and others who have contributed to the thesis. The candidate's partner, parents, and close friends are often included. However, the karonkka is generally not considered a family event.
It is also customary to invite the persons from the audience who asked questions or made comments at the public examination to the post-doctoral party but, according to an unwritten rule, they are not to accept the invitation.
The invitation should specify the dress code, especially if the doctoral student prefers guests not to wear tailcoats and evening dresses, or wishes to suggest alternative attire.
It is also a good idea to ask about your guests' dietary needs in advance.
Doctoral candidates set the dress code for their post-doctoral party, which is generally a festive occasion where guests are expected to dress in a way that reflects the formality of the event, avoiding overly casual attire.
The doctoral candidate is the host of the evening and the opponent is the guest of honour. During the dinner, the guest of honour sits to the candidate's right, while the custos sits to the left. If there are two opponents, the younger sits to the candidate's left, with the custos in the next seat. Other guests are typically seated in order of their academic achievements.
At the karonkka party, the doctoral candidate traditionally provides food, drinks, and often additional entertainment. The event typically begins with the candidate welcoming everyone, followed by the serving of dinner.
Speeches are a special feature of a karonkka party and they are given after the dinner and before the coffee. The candidate should begin by first thanking the opponent and then the custos. Next, the candidate should express gratitude to everyone who contributed to the doctoral thesis, in order of importance. Finally, the candidate should thank their partner or someone else particularly close to them. The speeches should be brief, delivered without notes, and focused on expressing sincere thanks.
The opponent(s) immediately respond to the candidate's speech, usually in a light and informal manner, avoiding a tone that is too solemn or serious. When the opponent has finished, the custos offers a few words. Then the guests may speak in the order in which they were mentioned in the candidate's speech. It is generally believed that keeping speeches short helps maintain the solemn tone of the event and prevents it from becoming too long.
After the speeches, the party takes a more informal turn, allowing guests to enjoy each other’s company and the relaxed setting.
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