Starting/supporting an alumni group

Regional alumni groups are important points of contact for alumni living and working around the world and play a key role in building the University's global community.  There are many good reasons to start or support a group in your area.

 Benefits of a local group
 Benefits of group leadership
 Starting a group

Benefits of a local group

• Networking and socialising – connect with old friends with whom you have a shared experience as well as make new friends and contacts 
• Open doors locally by socialising/networking with people in your area 
• Benefit from professional development and educational opportunities 
• Opens doors further afield by connecting with groups in other parts of the country or even internationally when travelling abroad or moving overseas 
• Expand your horizons through arranging events such as guest lectures, presentations and panel discussions
  
  
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Benefits of group leadership

• You can set your own objectives for your local group 
• Get connected and be known – raise your own profile and increase your awareness of other alumni in your area 
• Be in the know – tell others about the latest activities the University is organising, including information on events that benefit lifelong learning 
• Assist in developing and growing the University's alumni association worldwide and increase the value of your degree 
• Network with other alumni groups and serve as a local point of contact for The University of Nottingham
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Starting a group

 Do your homework

Contact the Alumni Relations Team for information, help and advice. Find out how many alumni live in your area; if there is already a group/country contact in your area and whether the British Council run an alumni network for all British University alumni in your city/country. 

 Get connected to alumni in your area

The Alumni Relations Team can help you find alumni in your area and give you support in preparing letters / emails / articles to promote your ideas for the group.   Find out if alumni living in your country/region or city are interested in setting up a group, and if anyone is prepared to share the responsibility of running the group with you.  Promote the group through alumni publications, e-newsletters and this website as well as proactively contacting local alumni in your area. 

 Establish goals and objectives  

Think about the purpose and goals of the group.  Survey local alumni to determine what their interests and needs are. Seek advice from the Alumni Relations Team on how to set up a group that best serves local alumni needs and business interests.  You may also wish to think about how the network could offer support to The University of Nottingham.  Remember networking groups can have varying rules of membership, strictness, and accountability.

 Be realistic

A great way to get started is to hold regular monthly, informal meetings.  This type of activity doesn't need much organisation and can be a good springboard for a more formal programme.  Try a 'First Friday event' - on the first Friday (or any other convenient day / evening) of every month alumni gather at a bar, restaurant or meeting room to spend a few hours together in either a social and/or business session.

Whatever the format, these get-togethers offer alumni invaluable opportunities to network with one another on a regular, scheduled basis; these meetings serve as an excellent forum for alumni communication. Additionally, because they’re regular events and can be put in diaries well in advance, they require a minimum of formal organisation.  Alumni groups grow in size and activities over time.

 Keep in touch
.... with the Alumni Relations Team in Nottingham.  We are here to support and advise you.  E: alumni-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk T: +44 (0) 115 846 6941

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