Graduation at Greenlands

Important Notice about Greenlands Graduation Ceremonies 2021

We have been carefully considering the initial information from the government as part of their review of large-scale events. At this stage, unfortunately there is no certainty that these types of events will be able to go ahead without social distancing or other restrictions. International travel restrictions remain in place currently, which means many of our recent graduates and current finalists based overseas may be unable to travel to the UK in September.

We have therefore taken the very difficult decision to postpone our ceremonies until September 2022.

This is a celebratory event of huge importance to the Henley community and it is a decision that was not taken lightly. However, we feel it is better to make this decision now and provide those affected with certainty, particularly given the travel and other arrangements that you would have to take.

You will still receive your exam results and degree classification in a timely way, enabling you to make decisions about your future. The Graduation Team will be in contact in September to explain how and when your degree certificate will be sent to you. We are anticipating to post out degree certificates from early-October onwards.

We are working hard now to put plans in place to ensure the 2022 graduation ceremony exceeds your expectations and provide you with a thoroughly well-deserved opportunity to celebrate with your family and friends. We will keep you updated when we have more information to share nearer the time.

In the meantime, we are planning to hold a virtual celebration event this Autumn to celebrate your achievements and will be in touch in due course with further information on this.

If you have any questions or comments please contact graduation@henley.ac.uk.

Professor John Board - Dean of Henley Business School.

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Key deadlines

Please see below a set of key dates for formal graduation in September 2021:

Eligibility for Graduation

Programme members who have successfully completed an MBA, MSc, DBA or PhD, or who have received a PGDip or PGCert as a final award at Henley Business School's Greenlands campus, are awarded their degrees in a graduation ceremony held at our Greenlands campus in Henley-on-Thames.

Further information for Henley Business School students based at our Whiteknights campus can be found on the Graduation Office's website.

Invitations and Registration

Registration emails will be sent out in September to all programme members who are due to formally graduate. If you think you are due to graduate and you have not received an invitation email by Monday 27 September 2021, please contact the Graduation Office as soon as possible by email to: graduation@henley.ac.uk. You may not be able to register for graduation on the Portal until you have received your invitation.

Once you have received your invitation you should register via the RISIS Portal, view our Ceremony registration page for further information.

On the Day

Tickets

Each graduand can request two guest tickets if they register before the deadline. Extra tickets, if available, are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis on the day and are released up to 90 minutes before each ceremony. Guests without tickets can watch from the nearby video relay room (see the Graduation Map of Greenlands campus).

• View our Tickets page for detailed information.
• View the Greenlands Graduation Ceremonies online for guests who cannot travel to Henley Greenlands campus (please note this is video link is available on the degree day only and is shown live).

Arrival

Graduands

• Graduands should arrive 90 minutes before the start of their ceremony.
• On arrival you need to make your way past the large marquee on the front lawn to the graduand entrance of the main house and follow signs to the ticket desk to collect any allocated guest tickets
• Once you have collected tickets you will need to collect your robes from the graduand robing room (see the Graduation Map).
• You can then join your guests and fellow graduands in the pre-ceremony catering marquee for refreshments.
• You must be in the Processions Room 45 minutes before the start of your ceremony to register. If you do not arrive in the Procession Room by this time you risk not being allowed to graduate in your ceremony.

Guests

• On arrival you need to make your way past the large marquee on the front lawn to the pre-ceremony catering marquee while the graduands collect their tickets and robes (see the Graduation Map).
• Guests should make their way to the ceremony marquee 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony to be seated.
• Guests without tickets for the marquee are invited go to the video relay room to watch the ceremony live on a big screen.

Each ceremony lasts approximately 40-50 minutes. Guests should stay in their seats throughout the ceremony. Video recording is not permitted, however a DVD of the ceremony will be available to purchase on the day.

Guests with disabilities or mobility difficulties

We can reserve seats (or spaces for wheelchair users) in the marquee for guests with disabilities or mobility difficulties. Graduands should email graduation@henley.ac.uk by Friday 28 August for further information.

What to wear

You should hire your academic dress at least 21 days before your degree ceremony from our official suppliers Ede and Ravenscroft: www.gownhire.co.uk.

Graduation is a formal occasion, so you should wear smart clothing beneath your gown; no jeans or trainers. It is useful to wear something such as a shirt or blouse with buttons which will make it easier to attach the hood to your clothing. If a shirt is worn then this should also be accompanied by a tie. Smart but comfortable shoes are important.

Appropriate military dress or the national dress of your country is also allowed to be worn underneath your gown.

Please leave handbags, mobile phones, etc. with your guests. You will not be able to carry them with you in your ceremony.

Please be aware, we reserve the right to prevent you from joining your procession and graduating on the day if you are not dressed appropriately in the correct academic dress. You would, in that case, graduate in absence.

Directions

Buses

The 800 and 850 buses run between High Wycombe and Reading, stopping just outside Greenlands on a regular basis. Please visit the ArrivaBus website for further information.

Car

If you arrive by car there is car parking available on the Meadow and you will be directed to a space by car parking attendants.

• View a map of Henley Business School

Taxis to airports, Henley or Reading stations can be booked at the Henley Business School Reception.

Detailed information

• View further detailed information on travelling to Greenlands Campus.

Food and drink

Refreshments will be available before the ceremony for graduands and their guests in the catering marquee. After the ceremony a light finger buffet will be served (sandwiches, cakes etc.) in the Heyworth Room. There is no charge for food and refreshments. Wine and champagne will be available to purchase by the glass.

Souvenirs

There are souvenirs and merchandise available to purchase on the day from retailers stalls around the campus and on online before graduation:

• Photography is supplied by Ede and Ravenscroft. Studio photography is available in River House and ceremony photography from the Garden Common Room.
• DVDs/USBs are supplied by Visions Unlimited, from their stall on the main lawn next to the Ceremony Marquee
• Official Henley Business School merchandise from the HBS shop in River House
• Celebratory bouquets of flowers from Sonning Flowers, from their stall on the main lawn next to the Ceremony Marquee

Collecting your robes

You need to collect your academic robes on the day of your ceremony from the Institute of Directors Conference Room at least one hour before your ceremony (number 6 on the Graduation map).

Representatives from Ede & Ravenscroft will be on hand to help you robe. You should bring a record of your robe hire confirmation email with you.

Please leave your belongings (handbag, mobile phone etc.) with your guests as you will not be able to carry them in the procession.

The Ceremony

Graduands should go to the procession room in Greenlands Trust Suite (number 12 on the Graduation map) 45 minutes before the start of the ceremony, where you will be registered and lined up in procession order by a marshal.

Please note the processions room will close 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony, if you are not in the processions room by this time you risk not being able to graduate in your ceremony.

Graduands will be given instructions and led to the ceremony marquee before the start of the ceremony. Graduands must sit in order or their names will be read out incorrectly. At the appropriate time, graduands will be directed by their marshal to process down the right hand side of the marquee to the steps onto the stage.

Guests with tickets for the marquee will be permitted to enter 15-20 minutes before the ceremony and will be directed to their seats by ceremony marshals.

Guests without tickets to the marquee can watch the ceremony live in the video relay room (number 14 on the Graduation map).

Processions

The Academic Staff Procession will enter the marquee and be seated on the stage. Chief Officers will then process in followed by the ceremonial Maces. Once the Procession is seated, the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor will welcome graduands, guests and staff to Greenlands and to the ceremony. The University Orator will then declare the Congregation open for the conferment of degrees.

Presentation

Graduands will be presented individually by the University Orator. You will be guided by your procession marshal up the right hand side of the marquee and you will ascend a short flight of stairs after your name is called. You will shake hands with the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor, walk across the stage as a graduate and descend via the stairs on the opposite side. You will be presented with your degree certificate on your way back to your seat.

Speech

Once all the names have been called, you will then be seated for the remainder of the ceremony for a speech by the Dean of the Henley Business School. Please remember that you will be captured on the live web streaming and Graduation DVD. At the end of the ceremony, graduates will doff their cap to the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor as they process out of the marquee. Graduates will then process out of the marquee following the Academic Staff Procession.

Please note owing to the very short time-frame in which the DVDs are produced it is not possible for anyone to opt out of filming, therefore images recorded at Graduation will assume the permission of individuals pictured.

Buy a copy of the Graduation DVD in advance.

View the Greenlands Graduation Ceremonies live (Graduation day only).