May 8, 2026
HPI cordially invites its graduates, professors, and friends to the graduation ceremony on May 8, 2026! All graduates who obtained their degree between May 1, 2025, and April 24, 2026, are eligible to attend.
Please note: The event team will endeavor to contact all eligible graduates. However, as not everyone still has access to their student email address or has provided a private email address, some may unfortunately slip through the net.
We therefore ask you to spread the word about the graduation ceremony so that you can celebrate your graduation together with your fellow students. Thank you for your support!
At a glance
When? Friday, May 8, 2026
Where?
University of Potsdam, Campus Griebnitzsee, Complex 3, Building 6
August-Bebel-Str. 89, 14482 Potsdam
Lecture Hall 3 & 4
Program Overview
- 1:00 p.m.:Admission, welcome drink, and distribution of formal attire
- 3:00 p.m.: Start of the official part - Welcome and ceremonial address
- Presentation of certificates to bachelor's and master's graduates, including words of welcome
- Presentation of the HPI Graduate Award
- Honoring of doctoral graduates
- Information about the alumni network
- 5:00 p.m. End of the official part
- From 5:00 p.m.: Festive reception & class photos in the lecture building on campus I
- 7:00 p.m.: End*
*The formal attire must be returned to the lecture hall building on Campus I.
Please note: The graduation ceremony will be held in German and will be translated simultaneously into English.
Registration
Up to three guests are permitted per graduate. Guests cannot be exchanged between graduates. If any places become available, we will inform you by email. Due to limited capacity, prior registration is essential. The registration deadline is April 26 at 11:59 p.m..
How it works:
Important Notes on Participation
Graduates who have fulfilled the graduation requirements by April 24, 2026, and whose status has been officially entered into the system are eligible to participate. Registration without an entered graduation date is not possible. The date is requested in the registration form and serves as proof of your graduation. This will be verified by the Student Affairs Office.
The event team will inform all graduates by email whether the participation requirements have been met. Students who have "provisional pass" status or are still waiting for their thesis to be graded can only participate in the following year, provided that the admission requirements are met.
Since many graduates need the original copy of their graduation certificate in advance, you will receive a decorative certificate at the graduation ceremony. You can pick up the original at a stand run by the Student Affairs Office upon presentation of a valid ID card or student ID card.
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Graduates and PhD students may bring up to three guests each. It is necessary that all guests are registered by you in the registration form.
There will be a seat for everyone. Graduates will be seated in the front rows.
Once registration opens, confirmation of participation will be sent by email. This will contain all the information you need about formal attire.
Wearing a gown at the Graduation Ceremony is optional. The gown fee covers costs for rental, logistics, and cleaning. While wearing the gown is not mandatory, it has become a cherished tradition. Many graduates appreciate celebrating their academic achievements in a gown, as it lends a special atmosphere to the ceremony and creates lasting memories.
A photographer will capture the event’s highlights, preserving this memorable occasion for you and your guests.
All graduates will receive a decorative certificate during the ceremony as a symbolic memento of this special day. Students who have not yet collected their certificate will have the opportunity to collect their original upon presentation of a valid ID card or student ID card.
No problem! You are welcome to attend the next Graduation Ceremony, provided the eligibility requirements are still met. We look forward to celebrating with you then!
You can still register for the Graduation Ceremony even without an official invitation, provided your graduation date is on or before April 24, 2026. You will receive an email from Student Affairs as soon as this is the case. Please note that your graduation date will be requested in the registration form, and eligibility will be verified by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Yes, professional photos will be taken of all graduates in cohorts as well as of the whole group and the audience. Anyone who registers and takes part agrees to be photographed and to the publication of these photos (print and online).
Last change: 11/06/2026, Patrick Lenz