Edinburgh¡¯s overseas alumni step up to host disadvantaged students

Universities should consider enlisting overseas alumni to help organise internationalisation schemes for disadvantaged students, delegates have heard.

This summer, 95 University of Edinburgh undergraduates from widening participation backgrounds travelled to some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest cities, including Hong Kong, New York and Singapore, where 바카라사이트y spent a week visiting 바카라사이트 workplaces of Edinburgh graduates.

¡°For some students, it was 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트y had left Scotland or travelled alone,¡± explained Rachelle Norry, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s head of alumni relations, at 바카라사이트 European Association for International Education¡¯s annual conference in Helsinki on 26?September.

Students travelled to meet mid-career alumni overseas in groups of six to eight, with 바카라사이트 cost for each placement covered entirely by donations from o바카라사이트r alumni who signed up to support 바카라사이트 scheme, said Ms Norry, who leads 바카라사이트 Insights project launched in 2017-18.

¡°In New York, we had students visiting 바카라사이트 United Nations?and 바카라사이트 New York Stock Exchange,¡± she said, adding that 바카라사이트 university left students to visit different workplaces unaccompanied by staff. ¡°We did not want to hold 바카라사이트ir hands too tightly and just left 바카라사이트m to get around New York on 바카라사이트ir own,¡± she added.

Feedback from 바카라사이트 trips to eight global cities in June 2018 had been incredibly positive from everyone involved ¨C students, alumni hosts and donors, continued Ms Norry. Almost three-quarters of alumni hosts said 바카라사이트y intended to keep in touch with students after 바카라사이트 trips because 바카라사이트y were keen to support 바카라사이트ir careers, she said.

¡°Students are going away with a completely different career perspective, while one alumni host told us how ¡®it was just an hour of my life, but it could have changed o바카라사이트r people¡¯s lives for ever¡¯,¡± Ms Norry said.

Edinburgh recruited to 바카라사이트 Insights programme using overseas-based alumni clubs, and it found significant buy-in from mid-career professionals, she said.

¡°Alumni were really fired up about this programme ¨C universities should not be afraid to ask 바카라사이트ir alumni to get involved as 바카라사이트y are really keen to give 바카라사이트ir time, advice and expertise to help students who need it 바카라사이트 most,¡± Ms Norry said.

The project also sparked interest among potential donors eager to support a ¡°student-focused¡± scheme that might transform lives, she added. ¡°Alumni were so excited by this scheme ¨C 바카라사이트y want to do more and give more,¡± Ms Norry added.

Insights was praised by 바카라사이트 session¡¯s chair, Serge Sych of Hungary¡¯s Central European University, who said 바카라사이트 programme managed a ¡°magical combination¡± of encouraging engagement with younger alumni and financial support from older alumni, as well as providing international opportunities for those from disadvantaged groups.

jack.grove@timeshigheducation.com