STUDENTS graduating from the Surrey Institute of Art and Design this year will be the first to have their ceremonies held at Guildford Cathedral instead of the Farnham Maltings, it was revealed this week.
The institute's degree award ceremonies, known as 'convocation', have traditionally taken place at the Maltings, followed by a champagne reception in a marquee on Gostrey Meadow.
But as SIAD has grown, it has had to accommodate an increasing number of graduates and guests, and the ceremonies have stretched over three days.
As a result of the size and scale of the proceedings, Guildford Cathedral was chosen as a new venue.
Professor Elaine Thomas, director of the Institute, says the holding of the ceremonies in Guildford will give SIAD the opportunity to accommodate the ever-increasing number of friends and family who attend the events.
It also allows there to be larger ceremonies run over only two days, July 19 and July 20.
Professor Thomas said: "We plan to invite more of Farnham's residents to the ceremonies and the events associated with them.
"In fact, we have already invited a number of local townspeople to a celebratory dinner being held at Farnham Castle on July 19.
"We continue to value our relationship with the Farnham Maltings and, whilst we will no longer be holding our convocation there, we have begun to work together more closely to deliver sustainable and mutually beneficial results."
The dinner at Farnham Castle is in honour of fashion designer Owen Gaster, double-Oscar winning cinematographer Freddie Francis, and editor of Design Week, Lynda Relph-Knight, all of whom are to be the very first to receive an honorary degree from the institute.