Graduation week kicks off under blue skies in Palmerston North

Close to 1400 students will graduate in a week of ceremonies that started at noon today in fine weather.

Guest speakers including politicians, business leaders and a Mäori Land Court judge will address the capping ceremonies, which are the highlight of the academic year.

Among the graduates are a record 37 PhDs who will hold the title doctor and be invited to join the University Chancellor, members of Council, other officers of the University and staff on stage at the Regent on Broadway Theatre after being capped.

Nine ceremonies will be held - two a day until Thursday - with a ceremony to honour Mäori graduates on Friday morning. Each will be followed by a procession along Broadway Ave to Massey marquees in The Square.

The first two ceremonies were for graduates of the College of Sciences. Tomorrow, College of Business graduates cross the stage and Wednesday's ceremonies see College of Education, College of Creative Arts, New Zealand School of Music and the Centre for University Preparation and English Language Studies graduations.

Thursday's ceremonies include nursing, midwifery, health science, psychology, Maori visual arts and social work graduates from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Extramural Students' Society dinner will be held in the Coachman Hotel on Thursday evening, with Vice-Chancellor Designate Palmerston North MP Steve Maharey speaking, while the University's graduation dinner will take place the same evening in the marquee in The Square.

A ceremony to honour Maori graduates in all disciplines will be held on Friday at The Regent, with 68 graduates and their whanau expected at the ceremony. About half are receiving postgraduate qualifications, with three new PhDs being awarded. Speaker for the Maori ceremony is Maori Land Court Judge Craig Coxhead. Judge Coxhead is a former president of Te Hunga Roia Maori o Aotearoa, the New Zealand Maori Law Society.