Dear Friends,
I have just returned from a hugely rewarding and enjoyable series of alumni
events in China and Hong Kong. As ever, it was inspiring to learn more about the innovative and successful ways our graduates are putting into practice what they learnt at Bayes. It also provided further networking opportunities for alumni, one of the most important and enduring benefits of your time with us.
We want to stay in touch with our alumni across the globe, so please do share your thoughts with us by taking the alumni survey, and tell us more about your experience at Bayes.
Back in Britain, we’re launching ‘Bayes Alumni Connect’ on Thursday 9th May. This will be an ongoing series of regular networking events for Bayes graduates in London. I do hope many of you will take the chance to build new professional connections, re-connect with old friends and catch up with all the latest news from the Business School. You can find out more and book for the May event here or by emailing Helen.Nicholson@city.ac.uk.
Looking slightly further ahead, we hope to see many of you at our first Bayes Alumni Forum on Saturday 8th June. The day will include keynote lectures and breakout sessions – all capped by an evening reception.
Attending either of these regular events will also give you a chance to look over our new alumni lounge at our Finsbury Square building, a quiet and comfortable space you can enjoy in the Square Mile. I do hope you will drop in at some point even if you cannot attend the events in May and June.
And if you’re in Dubai or Athens, do join us at alumni events next month.
Those of you based in the UK – and many abroad who follow British news sites – will have seen saturation media coverage of this year’s Mais Lecture, delivered by shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves. As she and her Labour Party are widely expected to be in government later this year, journalists, students, academics and partners were keen to gain insights into her approach to tackling the structural economic problems plaguing the UK.
The speech is still being mentioned in media ‘think pieces’ a month on.
I was also pleased to be interviewed by the BBC as part of their coverage of our hugely successful and important School Engagement Project, in which we provide mentors for young people attending local schools in deprived areas. Two students who have benefitted were also interviewed, with coverage on both the BBC website and BBC regional news programmes.
However, many of our faculty – and doubtless many of you – are also having to consider the broader business implications of these geo-political disasters. These include the cost of energy and the impact on supply chains for many businesses – issues many of you will be grappling with.
For the British university sector too, this remains a period of uncertainty. The challenges of the post-pandemic recovery, sluggish economic growth and political tensions over immigration levels – including rules around foreign students coming to our universities – are fostering that climate of uncertainty. We are grateful to our many alumni who continue to support our student recruitment efforts and to those who return to speak to our current students.
The best way to navigate through that uncertainty is by continuing to focus on being what has always made us successful for over five decades: being a leading global business school with strong roots and partnerships in the City of London. That means providing a world class education and undertaking cutting edge research – while working with our wider community, including our treasured alumni.
On that note, and in conclusion, I want to thank those of you who continue to support the school and current students. Last month, for example, several of you passed on practical tips for entering the job market – or continuing education – at a half day session for final year undergraduate students. I know the students and academic colleagues found your insights and advice valuable.
Best wishes,
Professor André Spicer
Dean
Bayes Business School