Starting and running an alumni group
A guide to the amount of activity your group should arrange each year
Expectations
Once you have run two successful events, we can start to think about formalising your status as an alumni group. There are a number of things to consider.
- Sign the terms of reference: All groups need to sign the terms of reference form. Please read this document carefully and familiarise yourself with our expectations of groups and how we will support you. The document will get updated from time to time, so if you have feedback please get in touch: alumni@imperial.ac.uk.
- Select your tier: The College has set out three levels of alumni groups (tiers one, two and three) to act as rough guides to how much activity you should be organising, based on the number of alumni in your area. They also suggest some of the types of activity you could be thinking about. Please refer to the tiers guidance below for more information. When you digitally sign the terms of reference document, you will be asked to indicate which tier you think your group is – if there are any issues, we will be in touch.
- Write a mission statement: You may wish to think about crafting a vision or mission statement, or clarify some goals, to outline what your group would like to achieve. Generally, our alumni groups aim to connect local alumni and support one another, raise the profile of the College, and support the College with its activities in your area (where applicable). Alumni groups should never be commercially motivated, and should act in the best interests of the College and the local alumni network at all times. Groups should always strive to be as inclusive as possible. We are happy to look at a draft vision or mission statement for you and to provide feedback.
Alumni group tier guide
These guidelines will give you an idea of how much activity you should aim to deliver each year - and some great ideas for your organisational structure. All alumni groups need to provide a single point of contact to the College.
Alumni group tier guide
Tier one
| Alumni population | Minimum number of events | Mailings (one per event) | Organisational structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000+ |
Six, including one for the Alumni Weekend Global Celebrations. Two further events must be drawn from the list below. Imperial academics travelling to these areas are prioritised. Imperial may offer additional logistical support for some of your events. |
Six |
Committee with at least a leader, treasurer and secretary. Should have at least one recent graduate on the organising committee. |
| If you wish to discuss the tier allocation of your group, please get in touch: alumni@imperial.ac.uk | |||
Tier two
| Alumni population | Minimum number of events | Mailings (one per event) | Organisational structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400+ |
Three, including one for the Alumni Weekend Global Celebrations. One further event must be drawn from the list below. |
Three |
Two named officers. Should have at least one recent graduate involved in organising events. |
| If you wish to discuss the tier allocation of your group, please get in touch: alumni@imperial.ac.uk | |||
Tier three
| Alumni population | Minimum number of events | Mailings (one per event) | Organisational structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50+ |
One, for the Alumni Weekend Global Celebrations. |
One |
One point of contact. |
| If you wish to discuss the tier allocation of your group, please get in touch: alumni@imperial.ac.uk | |||
Types of events
- Celebrate: Events which celebrate a connection to Imperial and to the alumni community, for example formal/annual dinners.
- Discover: Events that encourage life-long learning and intellectual engagement with a specific subject or area. For example academic talks (including those from College academics) and tours to business, scientific or industrial facilities.
- Learn: Career-focussed topics covering professional and personal development.
- Connect – next generation: Events focussed on providing the specific types of support that recent graduates need, such as networking events for recent graduates, or formal panels or presentations with senior alumni discussing their careers. It may be possible to support incoming or current students also - please speak to the Alumni Relations Office for more information.
Celebrate – ICinNY hosted an informal get-together in a pub for local alumni to come along and get to know one another
Connect – A visit from Professor Martin Siegert to Beijing was a chance for recent graduates to network
Discover – Alumni in Thailand welcomed three alumni speakers working in the electric car industry to share the latest insights with the group over dinner
Learn – An online event hosted by the Swiss group (Geneva) with an alumni speaker sharing his expertise on impact investing
Supporting the College
As well as providing a network of like-minded alumni to interact with, lots of our groups wish to provide further support for the College. There are a lot of different ways you can do this. Below are some ideas:
Supporting the College
Awareness
You may wish to let alumni know about the benefits and services available to them, or to update alumni on news from the College (sign up for Imperial Today for a daily news digest). We can also provide you with a short set of PowerPoint slides on recent news and benefits – get in touch with Eilidh Campbell, Alumni Engagement Officer, for more information.
Volunteering
As well as the work that you do as an alumni group, there are lots of other ways alumni can contribute their time to Imperial, to inspire future students, support student experiences and to enhance the alumni community. Many of these roles can be done remotely from anywhere in the world. We appreciate the work that our alumni groups do to update others on these opportunities.
Fundraising
Some of our groups wish to fundraise for the College or to raise the profile of fundraising amongst their peers. Although it is not expected of our groups, it is very much appreciated and can have a huge impact on Imperial’s future. The easiest thing to do is to gently remind others of how they can donate and what they can support. If you have other ideas we would be very happy to discuss these with you.