@@Finland has a special place in my heart because of its people, nature and history. Therefore I was particularly delighted to be invited to participate in a PhD committee at Jyv鋝kyl?University. The preparations for the event went as usual. The manuscript had to read and comments and feedback had to be given to the candidate. If these are taken into account satisfactorily, the appraisal of the thesis can be written. This is the basis for a letter of approval stating that the thesis is in a form such that the candidate can be admitted to participate in a defense. Parallel to this, the questions to be asked at the ceremony are prepared. In the Jyv鋝kyl?case, things took a different turn when I got the PhD regulations two weeks before the defense. The good news was that the ceremony would take place in an auditorium and that as a committee member you were supposed to wear your gown and other university paraphernalia like a bonnet and a sash. I like this great tradition which exists at Delft (and at other Dutch universities), and apparently at Jyv鋝kyl?too. It always feels a bit uncomfortable to have a defense in a class room in a business suit (like in many countries in Europe). To see committee members wearing polos and sweaters, like sometimes happens in the USA, is a weird experience.
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