Local dignitaries from Luton and Bedfordshire, academic staff, the Vice Chancellor and Chancellor formed a procession and made their way through Luton town centre to St Mary’s Church to the sound of the University’s Pipe Band.

They were met by excited students from the University’s Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies & Science (CATS), along with their families and friends.

The @uniofbeds pipe band leads the procession of local dignitaries to our final #BedsGrad of the week, the civic ceremony in Luton. pic.twitter.com/qIr3nZ9C5j

— UoB Press Office (@uobnews) July 26, 2019

The University’s Chancellor, the Rt Hon John Bercow MP, opened the proceedings: “It is not only a privilege for me to be present and cheering you graduands on today, but a privilege for me to service as Chancellor of the University.

“It is a joy and a privilege, both because I admire the University of Bedfordshire as a modern university in so many ways, and because, like some of you perhaps, I was the first person in my family to have the chance to go to university.”

He continued: “Graduands, you will always be part of this university which is shaped by and for its students. The University that we have created together is something we can all be tremendously proud of.”

The Rt Hon John Bercow MP congratulated the Class of 2019: “I urge you to celebrate your success today. I hope you are proud of yourselves, your friends and families will be proud of you. Don’t hold back about how pleased you are today.

“We are proud of you as a University and I personally am extremely proud of each and every one of you.”

Vice Chancellor Bill Rammell continued the theme of celebration and reflected on the graduates’ journeys: “Take a moment to celebrate today and your important achievements – your academic achievements but also your personal ones.

“The challenges you’ve overcome, the things you never expected to do, the friends you’ve made, and we will celebrate with you.”

The civic ceremony concluded Bedfordshire’s graduation season, which saw hundreds of students graduated over six days in front of proud families, friends and University staff.