Survey report on Alumni Services at UNICA Universities – Read now!

15 March 2022 | From UNICA

Story highlights:
– Survey results show alumni relations is a growing priority at UNICA universities;
– Conclusions will feed into the activities of the PR & Communication subgroup on alumni relations

Building meaningful relationships with alumni has become increasingly important for the strategic growth and advancement of universities. In this regard, UNICA launches today a report on Alumni Services at UNICA universities. This publication presents the conclusions of a survey carried out between December 2021 and January 2022, which looked into the priorities and the needs related to alumni services at UNICA member universities. The survey collected responses from 20 European universities from the network.

The results of the survey illustrate how alumni relations have become a priority for universities. They represent a great resource for the role they can play in connecting the academic world and job market, representing the values and mission the university, supporting the achievement of financial targets, and mentoring current students. However, despite the growing thought and work that has been put into alumni relations, offices working on this subject find some obstacles to maintain the contact and build a strong relation with the former students. Evidence suggests that universities are particularly struggling with challenges related to data management and communication strategies.

The results of this survey will feed into discussions concerning alumni relations among UNICA members. In fact, a sub-group focused on this topic (under the UNICA University PR & Communication working group) has been recently set up. The sub-group will meet for the first time in April in a session focused on “Alumni, University, and Identity”.