Academic etiquette – what is that?

Academic etiquette, or the unwritten rules of how to conduct oneself within the walls of a university, has changed somewhat over time. Has the need for etiquette changed as well?

The article was first published in Estonian in the magazine Universitas Tartuensis in June 2024.

First of all, should you use a formal or informal address? In a world striving for equality, students sometimes address professors in good faith by their first name, in an informal tone. Professors respond differently: some consider it appropriate to maintain distance, while others prefer a more immediate form of communication. And who has not fiddled with their phone during a lecture or turned up late? People have even been seen attending assembly hall lectures wearing an overcoat. “So what?” one might ask.

Even so, both unwritten and written rules serve a purpose, according to many universities worldwide. At some institutions, academic etiquette is explained in detail on the website so that everyone understands it the same way and to make students’ lives easier.

The etiquette guidelines of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Poland are familiar to us, too. Don’t be late for lectures (although it is acceptable to enter within the first 15 minutes, i.e., the academic quarter). Raise your hand if you want to ask a question. Don’t talk or play on your phone during the lecture. It is not appropriate to start collecting your belongings before the lecture ends. Don’t miss classes, as that is the quickest way to failure. When writing to a lecturer, address them respectfully (not “Hi, a quick question”); read through your email before sending to avoid mistakes, and end it politely (“Yours sincerely”, “Kind regards”, or similar). Dress appropriately for exams.

Sounds obvious? The same website emphasises that while the purpose of observing etiquette and good academic practice is to generally create a positive atmosphere at the university, it may also directly influence a student’s progress, relationships with peers and teaching staff, and perhaps even their future.

Then and now

Academic etiquette and good practice extend beyond appearances. Professor emerita Ene-Margit Tiit came to the university in 1952, not long after the beginning of the occupation and the end of the war.

“Life has changed considerably, yet quite a lot has remained the same,” she says. “Young people still need to study if they want to achieve something in life; this has not changed. The content and form of studies have changed, but the activity of studying remains the same. It is also natural that during their studies, people mature in social relationships, build contacts, and learn how human relationships work.”

Academic etiquette begins with greeting. “I visited the Delta building with my grandson, who studied in London,” Tiit recalls. “He was surprised that the young people we met in the lobby greeted me – and they were not even my students. In London, greeting all professors everywhere is not so common.”

The professor smiles and continues, “When I went to university, we stood up when the lecturer entered the lecture hall. Before the war, students shuffled their feet instead – standing up could be quite inconvenient with the narrow aisles and the rattling folding desks.”

The custom of standing up disappeared after the restoration of the Republic of Estonia [in the 1990s], as did oral examinations.

“Peeter Tulviste, who collected jokes, sighed that now it was all over. After the restoration of independence, political jokes disappeared, and oral exams disappeared from universities, and also jokes about professors and students disappeared.” Oral exams were among the few opportunities for direct contact between students and professors. These occasions were so important that students even dressed more formally for them.

“At the beginning of the Soviet period, the university embodied something that had survived from prewar times; it was almost like a sacred legacy. Now, the university has changed,” Professor Tiit admits. “When half of Estonian women aged 30–60 have obtained higher education, it is inevitable: the university has become more ordinary, it is no longer quite so sacred or special. However, the fact that Estonians are among the most highly educated populations in the world is entirely positive, of course,” she adds with her characteristic humour. “Perhaps this change brings academic etiquette and everyday good manners closer together.”

How have we adapted to all these changes?

“An intelligent person is adaptable,” the professor emerita smiles, “but no special adjustment has been necessary, as the changes in academic etiquette do not imply major changes in my own conduct.”

How closely are academic etiquette, good research practice and ethics connected?

Etiquette and ethics

“When speaking about academic etiquette, one should start with ethics,” says Professor of Cell Biology Toivo Maimets. “It is about how you relate to the academic world.”

Ethics is close to Maimets’s heart: he is a member of the council of the University of Tartu’s Centre for Ethics, and for eight years, he was on UNESCO’s Bioethics Committee, where he chaired the working group on the regulation of human cloning. That experience taught him to understand the context and find compromises in sensitive ethical matters.

“In research, there are several strictly condemned practices: falsification, plagiarism and fabrication. In addition, there are grey areas where some forms of conduct are of questionable value,” he notes. “Not everything can be regulated in documents, but it is necessary to talk about such issues.”

For Maimets, a genuine interest in what you do is the foundation of everything in academia. “I would like students to know what they want when they begin their studies. Are they interested in how nature’s mechanisms work, or was it their mother who made them study that? Interest in one’s field is essential,” the professor says.

Interest is followed by motivation and integrity. “In research, there are countless opportunities where you could cheat,” he says. “But if you understand that cheating in a field to which you want to devote your life is unworthy, then everything else becomes manageable.”

It is easier for those with a good upbringing and a similar cultural background. “From time to time, I am struck by how different people’s understandings of ethics, etiquette, and the academic world are. There are excellent students, but also some for whom university is not the right place,” he notes.

According to Maimets, students generally address professors formally until they start working together. “Sometimes it is useful to reduce the distance between the student and the lecturer. When a bachelor’s student starts working in the lab, I tell them they may use an informal address. Research is creative – it is important to speak, think and criticise freely, and also to criticise the professor’s ideas. If you believe that the professor is wrong, you need to present your well-considered arguments politely. If you do not acquire this skill, you will remain just a machine operator.”

Maimets emphasises that shaping the academic culture is the responsibility of the student’s supervisor.

“For example, I invite all doctoral researchers and master’s students working in the lab to my garden in Ihaste to listen to nightingales. We eat, drink, talk about life and politics – and students learn from all of this. To be a good researcher, you must first be a good person; I am deeply convinced of that. That is what you teach them – to be a good person,” Professor Maimets says.

Jumpers and bare shoulders?

Kady Sõstar is the Senior Specialist for Protocol at the university. She is responsible for organising traditional ceremonies and events, such as those marking the anniversary of Estonia’s national university on 1 December, or the Independence Day of the Republic of Estonia, usually held on the working day preceding 24 February. Ceremonies are opened and closed by the academic secretary. The current Academic Secretary Tõnis Karki has held the position for five years.

“Ceremonies include speeches, music, flowers and flags. The Estonian and university flags are carried into the assembly hall solemnly by representatives of student organisations and fraternities. The ceremony begins with the national anthem and ends with Gaudeamus – and every member of the university should know the words of both by heart,” she says.

Newly appointed professors deliver their inaugural lectures in the assembly hall, and doctoral degrees and honorary doctorates are conferred at the university’s anniversary ceremony. Those who have attended the ceremonies know the academic spirit, solemnity and, at times, refined humour present at the events.

“The framework is academic, but the content must have warmth, creativity and a touch of humour,” says Sõstar. “Perhaps someone gives an amusing speech, or the musicians get the audience to sing along. It is important to maintain a certain lightness and ensure that the audience feels at ease. And the music must always be of a very high standard.”

When someone slips up or makes a minor mistake during the ceremony, the academic audience responds with understanding and kindness.

“Once, an honorary doctor, an older gentleman, fell asleep. The medal in his lap slipped out of its box with a clatter, rolled across the assembly hall floor, making several rounds. This caused a friendly stir in the audience,” Sõstarrecalls.

“It is not appropriate to enter the assembly hall wearing outdoor clothing; coats must be left in the cloakroom,” she says. “There is also an unwritten rule that one does not eat or drink in the assembly hall. Nor is it a place for religious or political propaganda.”

An invitation to a ceremony usually specifies the dress code. For example, jumpers or bare shoulders are not acceptable. Traditional attributes, such as the gowns and caps seen at foreign universities, have not been used at the University of Tartu’s academic events; formality is conveyed through white tie and formal gowns. “And it is always lovely to see people wear national costumes,” Sõstar adds.

In June, Tartu is filled with people dressed up and carrying bouquets – it is the graduation season. In recent years, a large screen has been set up outside the main building, allowing the friends and relatives who cannot all get into the assembly hall to follow the ceremony outdoors. “The possibility to watch the graduation ceremonies on the screen in front of the main building also shows the local people that the university is part of the city.”