Ely Cathedral
Saturday 2 June 2018
Congratulations and welcome to your ceremony!
Registration…
Having registered, you will have your ceremony tickets, presentation card and graduate directories. Please keep your presentation card with you as you‘ll need this when you go on stage. If you have any queries during the day, please visit the Enquiries desk, situated by Registration and our team will be happy to help.
Robing…
If you have arranged to hire an academic robe through Ede & Ravenscroft Ltd, you should also collect it from the Lady Chapel. Please note, mortarboards are not part of the Open University academic dress and cannot be worn during the ceremony.
After the ceremony, robes should be returned tothe Old Palace Gardens.
Photography…
Ede & Ravenscroft photography studios are in the Hayward Theatre, down The Gallery road.
Scrolls and mortarboards will be available to borrow during your photographs. Please allow plenty of time for photographyas it can become busy during peak times.
The ceremony…
Doors will open to the Cathedralone hour before the official ceremony start time. There will be a musical programmefrom the Cathedral organistsprior to the ceremony.Please note that graduates are seated together in the Nave but guest seating is not allocated. Graduates and guests should be seated no later than 15 minutes before the ceremony starts.
The ceremony will commence with the arrival of the academic procession. The Presiding Officer will declare the ceremonyopen and the presentation of graduates will begin.
When it is your turn to be presented, marshals will direct you accordingly. Please ensure that you keep your presentation card with you to hand over when you reach the stage. If you are leaving any belongings by your seat, please make sure they are tucked out of the way and not obstructing the path of other graduates or staff.
Refreshments…
The Refectory at the Old Palace is open for sales of light refreshments. Alternatively, there are also a number of cafes and restaurants within a short walk of the Cathedral.
Immediately after the ceremony, you are warmly invited to join your fellow graduates and guests for a celebratory drink in the Old Palace Gardens.Please arrange to meet your guests in the Old Palace Gardens rather than outside the Cathedral as this causes crowding and prevents other guests from leaving the Cathedral safely.
Don’t forget…
…to take time to visit the Alumni Association, Careers & Employability Service and the Open University Students Association (OUSA). To meet these teams, ask questions, pick up information and purchase OU merchandise, head to the Hayward Theatre, down The Gallery road.