strategy
Alumni Engagement
Alumni Engagement: A Snapshot
T
he database containing alumni contacts is the single most intellectual resource of an institutions’ alumni cell. Institutions struggle to find missing souls. Here’s how the respondents to this feature are faring:
Institution
IIT Delhi
FMS IIM Ahmedabad
Founded
1961 1954 1961
Total number of alumni in database 35,000 11,000 29,000 (including
Number of alumni whose contacts are available
% age
20,000 5,600 14,500
57 51 50
21,000+ 6,657 2,284
56 66 65
short duration courses)
IIT Bombay IIM Bangalore BIMTECH
1958 1976 1988
37,557
10,000 3,500+
Verma, Associate Professor, Finance, BIMTECH. In contrast, institutions must determine the frequency of email and snail mailing and abide by the decision to establish regularity. This differs across institutions. “Alumni receive about three to four correspondences sent by surface
operations happen from interest accrued on a corpus created by life membership fees. Where an alumni organisation has chapters, such as IIT Bombay, available funds are used to run the central alumni office on campus whereas the 26 decen-
Dr Verma, “is best because it fosters warmth, but frequency is a constraint because of time and reach. Centres that are spread out facilitate get-togethers in locations that are easier for alumni to reach, thus helping overcome the communication challenge.”
Overcoming Challenges According to Dr Singla, “Updating the database is the biggest challenge in managing alumni relations. Individuals are quick to inform about changes in phones and email IDs but slow to communicate their address when they relocate.” “Managing alumni is a 24x7 job, akin to the services sector. Besides, locating missing souls is a huge challenge,” adds Bhattacharya. Programmes like ‘Each one, reach one’ and ‘Mission 10,000’ help FMS connect with more alumni. Singla says contact is viral as classmates stay in touch and put the alumni cell on to other alumni. Of course, it helps to start early, that is, engage students as volunteers in alumni activities through the alumni interface
as greater h t n e m e g a g n e “Alumni ver before. The e n a th y a d to e relevanc ompetitive and vironment c re o m is d rl o n w as created an eake h n o ti a s li a b lo g nts stand to m ting with e d tu s h ic h w in s from connec in a g t n a c ifi n ig s mni” well-placed alu gla agement —Prof ML Sin iation & IT Faculty, Faculty of Man ssoc FMS Alumni A ity of Delhi rs ve ni U , Studies
mail and a dozen odd emails from us annually. A few phone calls are made as well,” shares Dr Singla. “We send out two electronic newsletters to all alumni every month,” adds Bhattacharya. Environmental and cost considerations dictate that fewer snail mails are sent out than emails since most alumni
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EduTech April 2012
tralised worldwide chapters function independently. “They raise money for their operations, organise events and decide what to do with their surplus funds,” informs Bhattacharya. While institutions are structured, alumni are geographically spread out, making regional or city-based chapters very useful. “Face-to-face contact,” says
cell. That way, they are more likely to appreciate the value of alumni and stay in touch after they graduate. “Developing a culture of giving and sharing takes time,” observes Rakesh Godhwani, Adjunct Faculty, Head Alumni, IIM Bangalore, and author of Plunnge. “When institutions see graduation day as the first day of the alumni relationship, students learn to value long-term associations.”