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The Empty Chair

We include an empty chair at our graduation ceremonies to help us remember those who are no longer with us.

The Empty Chair initiative was introduced by Brussels University in Belgium as a way to remember all those who would have loved to be at graduation, but are no longer with us.

Graduation is an important milestone for students and staff and a special event to celebrate their achievements with loved ones. But it can also be an emotional time for those missing important people from their lives. The Empty Chair helps to recognise those who are not here but are still very present in people's minds.

Professor Kate Woodthorpe explains the Empty Chair initiative

Hear more about the initiative from Professor Kate Woodthorpe from the University's Centre for Death & Society.

The Centre for Death & Society

The Centre for Death & Society is an internationally recognised research centre focusing on the social aspects of death, dying, and bereavement.

The Centre conducts academic research as well as research for government, charities, and businesses concerned with end-of-life issues. Its areas of interest include:

  • the experiences of people facing death and bereavement
  • practice and policy concerning the dying, the dead, and the bereaved
  • how end-of-life practices require and foster community development
  • relationships between the living and the dead
  • how economics, politics, inequality, social networks, technology, and culture influence end-of-life issues

Contact us

If you have any questions about graduation ceremonies or the Centre for Death & Society, please get in touch.