Origin

The origin of the commencement ceremony can be traced to Medieval Europe as the ceremony of initiation for new university teachers. The first academic degree was conferred at the University of Bologna, Italy in 1160 AD.

In those days, students who completed their learning and thesis would be admitted to the Guild of Masters of Arts and granted licence to teach by the Pope and in the name of the Holy Trinity.

The practice of awarding degrees was subsequently adopted by many other European universities. In the US, most universities’ degree award procedures are modelled after the practice developed at the University of Paris in the late 12th or early 13th century.

The commencement ceremony is now a universal practice adopted by colleges and universities worldwide.