Hora est! Exhibition reveals the ritual world of earning a PhD
A dissertation covered in hot pink faux fur, antique prints of PhD ceremonies, a pot encrusted with sealing wax: the Hora est! anniversary exhibition at Oude UB takes you to the ritual yet idiosyncratic world of PhD ceremonies. From solemn ceremonies to reassuring beadle humour.
The comparison with a wedding day is easy to make, says beadle Tineke Schutte in an interview about the exhibition. As the big day approaches the PhD candidate feels a mixture of excitement and trepidation. They’ll be the centre of attention, with family, friends and colleagues watching, and this centuries-old ritual always ends with a party.
The university turned 450 this year and to celebrate this anniversary the Office of the Beadle and the Alumni Office have curated this exhibition on PhD dissertations and rituals through the centuries. On show are extraordinary items from the collections of the Academic Historical Museum, Leiden University Library and, of course, the Office of the Beadle.
Variety of dissertations
Schutte is the first female beadle in Leiden’s history. ‘I arrived as a newcomer three-and-a-half years ago and immediately noticed how different the dissertations can look. Some have an eye-catching cover with, for example, hot pink faux fur, an artistic illustration or a funny comic illustrating the topic. Others are very sleek and minimalist.’
The form also varies: she points to a huge dissertation in a clear container by a PhD candidate from the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts. Further along is the thinnest dissertation at just 45 pages. Also on show are replicas of the richly illustrated title pages of the very first dissertations from the late 16th century.
Sealing wax pot
The exhibition also gives a peek behind the scenes at the Office of the Beadle. One display cabinet features the pot encrusted with red sealing wax that the former beadle, Willem van Beelen, used to use to produce the impressive wax seal for PhD certificates. ‘For a long time, he managed that on his own, with around 140 PhD defences per year’, says Schutte. ‘But by the time he left in 2016 that number had grown to around 400. Now we’re almost at 600 PhD defences per year and our reproduction department produces all the wax seals.’ So it’s busy days for the Office of the Beadle, hence the new booking system that recently went live, which allows PhD candidates to see what dates are still available.
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Display cabinet with sealing wax pan. -
Rob Vervark (l) from the Office of the Beadle is responsible for all the admin relating to PhD ceremonies. -
At the opening Rector Hester Bijl reflected on her own PhD ceremony. -
Rector Hester Bijl with Douwe Breimer (l) and former rector Paul van der Heijden (r). -
The staff who worked on the exhibition: Kasper van Ommen, Hanneke Wiessing, Corrie van Maris, Minke Holleman, Jip de Bloois, Jos Damen. With Tineke Schutte (3-l). -
Poster of a menu after a PhD ceremony. -
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Lay talk
More has changed in the world of PhD ceremonies. Since 2024, all members of the examining committee have been allowed to wear a gown, even if they are not professors. And since the start of this academic year PhD candidates give a compulsory lay talk before their defence – so that family and friends will understand what their research was about. A monitor at the exhibition broadcasts live pictures of the PhD defences that day.
It’s the job of Schutte and the other beadles – Erick van Zuylen and Frank Geerlings – to ensure the ceremony runs smoothly. ‘We discuss the protocol and ritual, and always have a few jokes up our sleeve to put the nervous candidates at ease’, says Schutte. ‘They tell us afterwards that it’s much appreciated.’
Padel
Beadle humour also resonates through the exhibition. One of the display cabinets contains beadle Van Zuylen’s gym shorts, printed with the words ‘padel’ and ‘pedel’ [beadle] – a present from friends. ‘The popularity of this ball games means people keep accidentally calling us “padel”’, says Schutte. The word pedel comes from pedellus, Latin for one who assists at academic ceremonies.
Opening
‘There’s a story behind every dissertation’, said Rector Hester Bijl at the opening on 2 June. The PhD is the crowning achievement of those years of hard work. Referring to her own PhD defence at Delft University of Technology, she said she could still remember the moment of liberation when the beadle entered and concluded the PhD ceremony with the iconic words ‘hora est!’ (time’s up). ‘Studying, earning a PhD, publishing research results... it’s a kind of triple jump for academics and researchers. We’re showcasing all three this anniversary year.’
Beadle Schutte is retiring so now it’s ‘hora est!’ for her. ‘This exhibition is a lovely conclusion to my time at the university. We’re glad to share the weird and wonderful world of PhD ceremonies and the work of the beadle with the general public.’
Also visit The Eternal Student anniversary exhibition on 450 years of studying at Hortus botanicus (until 26 October 2025) and the soon to be updated Leiden Discoveries website.