How Graduation Ceremony in Czech Looks Like?

Today marks exactly 2 months since my graduation day - the time I became an alumni of Charles University in Prague.

Mixed feeling, it is normal right?

13th July 2017

Karolinum, Prague, Czech

The Asians.

Well, graduation ceremony in Czech is not the same as in our country. There, it is only a small occasion - but it feels so meaningful after years of hard works, prayers, laugh and tears.

For my batch, the were about 44 graduates. And we were divided into two groups - 12pm and 1.30pm. So, you can see that one specific ceremony only take 1 hour +-. There was less protocol compared to Malaysia.. maybe. I can't recall the last time I joined a convocation here.

In front of Karolinum.

So far that I know, Karolinum (or the site where Karolinum is located today) was actually a residence and later became lecture rooms etc for Charles University. It is now known as National Cultural Monument in Czech Republic. So, if you guys have the chance to visit Prague, you can put this building in your plan. :)

Charles University (English)
Univerzita Karlova (Czech)
Universitas Carolina (Latin)

The hall. Behind us is where the rector, dean, senate members will sit. The graduates will stand in the middle of the hall, with parents and family members on both sides. That statue is King Charles.

The Senates.

We didn't really have proper rehearsal. Every graduate was given a briefing just few minutes before we enter the hall. Haha. And graduates don't wear graduation robes as they are only for the Senates. But, we rented the robes later, for the sake of memories :)

The flow of graduation ceremony was roughly like this:1. All guests took their seats.
2. Rector, dean, senate members entered the hall, followed by graduates.
3. Introductory speech by the dean.
4. The Oath.
5. The scroll.
6. Speech by Valedictorian.
7. Shake hands with the senate members.

That's it :D

The graduates.

Usually, the graduates will be standing according to alphabetical order. And through out 6 years, I was always the first person to be called for anything T_T. I thought I would be standing the most front that time. Haha.

But the tall guy, Matt in front of me was the best student - he received the red scroll! I mentioned him once in this blog - my first official run in Czech. Czech has different grading than Malaysia - if students in Malaysia aimed for the highest 4.0, here in Czech the highest grade is 1.0.

So, red scroll means, his average results can be around 1.0 (or I can say four flat / close to four flat in Malaysia).

I am not sure her position - but she was kind of the emcee.

Refer here for Hippocratic Oath.

The oath was delivered in Latin by our Promoter (the one who will give away the scroll). And the graduates will answer the Promoter with Spondeo Ac Polliceor which means I Promise & Swear.