We previously focused on the actions that can be implemented by higher education institutions to boost students and Alumni engagement before and during their school years. If you have managed to bring together your community, make your members feel like they belong to an exclusive network and share common values, you have probably already done most of the job and catch their interest. All there is left to do is engage and involve them in their Alumni network after graduation.
Once again, higher education institutions can resort to plenty of tools and actions to boost Alumni engagement and bring together their Alumni network, whether online or on campus (or in other premises).
AFTER:
« The sense of belonging is already well developed among our community and it is powerful. However, it is harder to transform it into actual actions. Our role is to go and meet Alumni and share this message with them: « give some of your time and energy to the Alumni association. We have plenty of great things to achieve together. If you have time to dedicate to the association, you will have the opportunity to express yourself and you will achieve things that are different from what you achieve at work. »
There is no great school without a great Alumni network. I am convinced that we still underestimated the value of Alumni networks in the promotion of professional integration. Our motto is to share this with students: « Alumni have internship and job offers for you to boost your career development » and we want Alumni to first send these offers to their Alumni network members ».
Jean-Claude Puerto, Association des diplômés de l’INSEEC President
Here are some of the best practices we have witnessed within our network that will help you keep in touch and create a closed relationship with your members.
* Get in touch with them at the right time and with the right words
Your school or university of celebrating is 50th anniversary? You have won an award or ranked in the top 100 in the Shanghai International Ranking? A new promotion has just graduated? Let your Alumni know what is going on and do not forget to inform them that their expertise, time or money can be useful to take part in their institution’s development (and therefore, their diploma). The journey does not end on graduation day, quite the contrary!
* Keep on offering high-quality services that meet their needs
Sponsorship, mentoring, vocational training offers, corporate partnership, networking opportunities, etc. : higher education institutions and their Alumni network can set up an adapted service offer matching their career development, their values and their needs.
Find out the two first articles about this subject !
