Graduation Ceremony
2024-2025
Find out where the ceremony will take place, how to get there and how the graduation ceremony will proceed: arrival time, dressing, the procession, the awarding of diplomas and souvenir photos. Registration is compulsory to attend the ceremony.
Unfolding of the ceremony
May 10, 2025
The 2024-2025 graduation will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at Palais Montcalm, located at 995 Rue D’Youville, in Quebec City.
12:45 p.m. | Welcome of graduates
Graduates are expected on May 10, 2025, from 12:45 p.m. at Palais Montcalm, 995 D’Youville Street, Quebec City
Your punctuality is essential to ensure the success of the graduation ceremony, which relies on complex logistics. If you arrive after 1:30 p.m., you will not be able to participate in the dressing up or be part of the procession that will go on stage. You will have to take a seat in the audience.
12:45 to 2 p.m. | Dressing
From the reception area, you will be directed to the graduates’ dressing room. Your guests can wait in the hall until the doors to the ceremony hall open.
In the dressing room, you will put on your gown, the epithogue indicating your degree (master’s or doctorate) and your mortarboard. In order to preserve the element of surprise for those accompanying you, we ask you, barring exceptions, to remain in the dressing room once you have put on your gown. The gown and the epitogue must be returned at the end of the ceremony or after the souvenir photos have been taken. You may keep your mortarboard.
2 p.m. | Doors open and processions line up
The doors to the hall will open at 2 p.m. Those accompanying you will be able to take their seats in the rows reserved for them.
The person in charge of the dressing room will take the floor to give you precise instructions for your official entry into the ceremony hall and your appearance on stage. Please pay close attention. You will be lined up in a specific order to enter the ceremony hall to the applause of your loved ones. It is important to maintain your position in the procession as it corresponds to the order in which you will parade on stage to receive your diploma.
2.30 p.m. | Opening of the ceremony and procession
The ceremony will begin with the procession of graduates. A person placed in the aisle on your left as you enter the hall will show you the rows of seats reserved for you. Your procession will be followed by that of the professors and then that of the guests of honor.
15:00 Presentation of two honorary doctorates
15:25 | Graduation
You will be called on stage to receive your diploma. An official photo will be taken.
4:25 p.m. | Prix Lumières from the INRS Foundation
4:35 p.m. | Award from the Scientific Direction
4:40 p.m. | Prix d’excellence from the Director General, followed by Governor General’s Academic Medal
4:55 p.m. | Closing remarks and mortar launch
During his closing remarks, the master of ceremonies will give you the signal to launch your mortar into the air, one of the highlights of the ceremony. We invite you to collect your mortar if you wish to keep it as a souvenir.
5 p.m. | Exit of the processions
The master of ceremonies will invite you to leave the hall. You are expected to leave after the procession of honor and the procession of professors.
5:05 p.m. | Reception and photos
A festive moment to share with your loved ones, your professors and your fellow graduates! During the reception, a professional photographer will be on hand to immortalize the occasion.
6:15 p.m. | End of the event
6:30 p.m. | Departure of the buses
Remember to hand in your gown and hood in the changing room before leaving. The chartered buses will head back to Montreal and Laval.
Taking photos
Taking photos during the ceremony
An official photo will be taken when you go up on stage to receive your diploma. A photographer will be on hand to take photos during the event.
Members of the audience may take photos throughout the ceremony. However, photos must be taken from their seats, as it is not permitted to stand up or move around in the aisles, in order to avoid interfering with the work of the official photographer, among other reasons.
Souvenir photos after the ceremony
A professional photography service is offered free of charge after the ceremony.
Image rights
Photographs and videos will be taken during the event. This content may be used by the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) for promotional purposes, in particular on the INRS website and on its social networks.
If you prefer not to appear in this content or if you have any questions, please write to us at communications@inrs.ca.
Location of the ceremony
Palais Montcalm, Québec city
Location and facilities
Palais Montcalm, located at 955 Place D’Youville, in Old Quebec. Discover the Raoul-Jobin concert and performance hall
See Palais Montcalm on the map
The Raoul-Jobin hall offers several conveniences:
- Accessible to persons with reduced mobility.
- Seats available for tall persons.
- Short-range FM transmission system for the hearing impaired.
- Cloakroom service
Access and parking
Transport by chartered bus is offered free of charge to certified members and their companions.
Palais Montcalm is accessible via the bus routes of the Réseau de transport de la capitale (RTC).
A large indoor public parking lot, with fees, managed by the Société Parc Auto du Québec (SPAQ), is adjacent to the Palais Montcalm. Other indoor parking lots with fees are available in the surrounding area (e.g., Québec City Convention Centre, Parliament Hill, Québec City City Hall, Hôtel Palace Royal, etc.).
On-street parking spaces are also available near the Palais Montcalm. The City of Québec has created the Copilote mobile application that allows you to pay for your parking space and renew it remotely, without having to go anywhere. Unless otherwise indicated, parking spaces on city streets are metered from Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., as well as on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
