City’s global alumni network is a real asset to the University, current students and all our alumni actively engaged to progress their careers as well as professional and social networks. Hannah Thackwray, Head of Bayes Alumni Relations, reflects on the successes of the year, and the ways the community has come together.
With the restrictions of the last few years, one of the things that our Alumni & Supporter Relations team missed most, was the opportunity to bring alumni together to meet in person. Our diverse, global network of alumni is one of the University’s key strengths. The contribution our alumni make to communities around the world, their impact on society and their commitment and dedication to the University, is something to be incredibly proud of. Therefore, despite the multitude of online opportunities available during the period of the pandemic, we were all grateful for the return to more ‘normal’ circumstances. The importance of alumni having opportunities to come together again whether to see peers, expand professional or social networks, or support and engage with current students, was truly highlighted.
2023 saw a renewed and revised depth and breadth of the alumni offer, from new events to the return of former programmes not possible during the pandemic. In January, we launched a series of flagship overseas events, with the department organising large-scale gatherings alongside senior University leaders. So far this calendar year, events have already taken place in Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai and Athens. On each occasion, alumni from across the University’s Schools were joined by fantastic academic and alumni speakers, all kindly hosted by Professor André Spicer, Executive Dean of Bayes Business School. Visit our Flickr account to see all the fantastic event photo albums
The feedback we received from alumni to these events was exceptional, and we were delighted to offer our former students these special opportunities to come together and (re-)connect.
“The…gathering with a masterclass talk on Leadership was truly an enriching experience for me, as I had the opportunity to meet many talented alumni from various years and multiple disciplines.”
– Alumni Gathering and Dean’s Masterclass in Singapore
We are looking forward to working on more of these flagship events over the coming year and meeting so many more members of our global community.
Beyond the Alumni & Supporter Relations team, many alumni volunteers and members of our extensive Global Alumni Ambassador Network worked hard to bring their local communities together in a multitude of creative ways and settings. Alumni in Lagos gathered for an awards-filled celebration at the end of 2022, whilst alumni in Indonesia came together for a day of golf. Alumni in Geneva enjoyed a wine tasting, whilst Bayes alumni in Mumbai and New Delhi joined with Warwick Business School for alumni soirees. These are just the few of the many events that have taken place over the last year, and we are profoundly grateful to all those organisers and attendees. We would encourage all our alumni to continue to reach out to each other and benefit from the strength of the bond you share and the special community to which you belong.
In London, a huge range of events have been taking place, allowing alumni to come together alongside staff and students. Highlights have included the annual Mais Lecture at Bayes, the STEM Alumni Awards, and the exciting launch of the ‘Pitch it easy’ competition.
“The topic was interesting, everyone involved had so much expertise to offer and it was great seeing you all! I truly enjoyed this discussion!”
– ESG Matters: Navigating Sustainability in Today’s World
Our incredible Careers Teams also continue to do so much to bring alumni together. We were delighted to join events such as the ever-popular MBA Careers Beers, and work with the teams on popular and topical panel events on Data Science, diversity within Psychology and creating a culture of wellbeing within the legal profession.
“Really enjoyed this event and was so nice to be back. The panel members were fantastic and the talk/Q&A were very interesting and thought provoking.”
– Alumni Panel event: Why Diversity is Important for Careers in Psychology
However you are involved with your University – as a regional Alumni Ambassador or board member, an event speaker or host, a career mentor or research contributor, opening professional doors to current students or sharing your story and successes, attending events or updating your details – we are very grateful for your time and support. Please continue to engage with us and each other and make the most of the extensive opportunities and networks available to you as a member of City’s global alumni community. We look forward to hearing from you, sharing your news, and seeing you at events.