What benefits can be gained from the partnership between institutions and their alumni networks?
Active alumni networks of international PhDs and academics play an important role in strengthening the institutions´ reputation at the international level. Their knowledge and working and life experience represent a valuable resource from which potential/future Ph.D. students and visiting academics can greatly benefit. Active alumni are valuable assets for the institutions, their experience of living in a host country and the knowledge of how they incorporated their study or research/academic activity at the particular institution into their further professional career can help the institution optimize their study/research programmes, academic or research conditions, and external cooperations. Alumni can help in achieving higher visibility of the institution nationally and internationally, they can create bridges among different cultures and reach out to broader academic and public audience. On the other hand, the alumni can benefit from a variety of professionals and workplaces and continue their lifelong learning and develop rewarding collaborations.
Strengthening Career Development - Alumni networks provide a platform for continuous career development, enabling institutions to support their graduates beyond graduation. By maintaining connections with alumni, institutions can facilitate mentorship opportunities, where experienced alumni guide current students or recent graduates in navigating their careers. This relationship not only aids in professional growth but also enhances the employability of graduates as they transition into the workforce.
Access to Expertise and Resources - Engaging with alumni allows institutions to tap into a diverse pool of expertise. Alumni often become leaders in various sectors, providing valuable insights that can inform curriculum development and research initiatives. Institutions can invite alumni to serve as guest speakers, mentors, or even visiting professors, enriching the academic experience for current students.
This collaboration helps bridge the gap between academia and industry, fostering an environment of innovation and practical application of knowledge.
Building a Supportive Community - Alumni networks foster a sense of belonging and community among former students. By organizing events and activities that encourage interaction among alumni, institutions can cultivate a supportive environment where members share opportunities, resources, and experiences. This communal aspect not only strengthens ties but also promotes lifelong learning and professional networking, which are essential in today’s dynamic job market.
Monitoring Career Progression - Institutions benefit from tracking the career paths of their alumni, which provides critical data on employment rates and job placements. This information is invaluable for assessing the effectiveness of academic programs and making necessary adjustments to meet industry demands. By understanding the trajectories of their graduates, institutions can enhance their appeal to prospective students by showcasing successful career outcomes.
Facilitating Interdisciplinary Collaboration - Alumni networks often span various disciplines and sectors, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. This diversity encourages innovative approaches to problem-solving and research initiatives, as alumni from different backgrounds bring unique perspectives to the table. Institutions can leverage these collaborations to enhance research output and address complex societal challenges effectively.
Useful resources and good practice examples
Tips for setting up and delivering an alumni collaboration scheme
Various forms of collaboration engaging alumni are possible e.g.: information sharing/distribution, organising events, alumni as academic and cultural ambassadors, alumni as academic and intercultural mentors. The Uniwelis Explorer App provides details what to consider when setting up and running such platform.
Guide for creating and running an online Alumni community
Establishing a community of researchers through online social media platforms is one of the most effective ways to support their careers, whether within or beyond academia. This online community will provide additional career development assistance to alumni and researchers in general, regardless of their academic affiliation.
This guide offers practical insights into the process and key lessons learned from the creation and management of the LinkedIn showcase page 'Researchers Beyond Academia' by EURAXESS—an online alumni community focused on intersectoral mobility for researchers.
Good practice cases
Here you can find the overview of some good practice cases that might serve as an inspiration for establishing similar practices at your institution:
Alumniportal Deutschland serves as a dedicated social networking platform aimed at fostering connections and facilitating the exchange of information among Germany alumni, businesses, universities, and various organizations. This platform provides users with the opportunity to engage with fellow Germany alumni globally, as well as connect with companies to discuss specialized topics, enhance their skills, and leverage the knowledge of others in their professional journeys.
For more information see: https://www.alumniportal-deutschland.org/en/
Research Alumni Network has been created for current and former visiting researchers in Heidelberg as well as for researchers with a Heidelberg background working abroad. Among others, it runs a programme for international junior as well as former scientists who want to initiate projects for the first time or renew contacts again during a short stay at Heidelberg University or a university-related research institution in Heidelberg.
The Network also offers:
Researchers Ambasador Programme
Researchers Alumni Meetings
Mentorship Programme of the Welcome Centre
Reseachers Alumni newsletter
Funding and Research support
Cooperation and Partners (e.g., other Alumni networks)
RWTH (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen) Aachen University collaborates with research alumni (guest scientists, doctoral students) to enhance institutional programmes, activities, and services based on the alumni's ideas and suggestions for improvement. Research alumni also serve as ambassadors helping spread the word about the manifold study and research opportunities at RWTH Aachen. The university also publishes success stories of its international research alumni.
ETH Zürich Alumni Programme
The ETH Alumni Association offers its members various benefits such as:
- Lifelong e-mail address
- Discounts for Insurance and healthcare
- Possibility to feature the main ETH building on a credit card
- Access to the ETH library
- Various benefits for profession and office (upcoming sales for digital hardware, job application produced by a professional, co-working space, etc)
- Discounts for accommodation in partner hotels, partner services providers - hiring electric bike, hiring or bying a car, and other high-quality products)
- Discounts for various cultural events
- Advanced trainings
- Publications
CEITEC Alumni Network publishes their alumni success stories, creates a LinkedIn group for sharing and exchange of information, support the alumni to become CEITEC ambassadors.
Alumni professional associations are established at both the university and faculty levels. Their purpose is to foster connections among alumni who work in the same field. Typically, faculties have a dedicated section on their websites for alumni, providing current information about events and gatherings. The majority of alumni associations maintain websites in Czech.
For more information see: https://phd.cuni.cz/PHDEN-17.html