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What does it take for a university to transform its connection with alumni from occasional contacts into a strong and active community? This question was at the core of the study visit held within the framework of the project “Excellence in Alumni Engagement: Capacity Building of Universities for Sustainable Alumni Engagement” (101236357 — ALMEX — ERASMUS-EDU-2025-CBHE), which took place on 16–20 March 2026 at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (the Netherlands).
The event brought together representatives of Sumy State University alongside project partners from the Ukrainian Catholic University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the University of Alicante, Zaporizhzhia National University, the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering, SGH Warsaw School of Economics, and the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance.
The SumDU delegation included Dr. Alla Krasulia, Head of the International Relations Office (PhD in Pedagogy, Associate Professor), Iryna Slabko, Head of the General Administration and International Protocol Unit (IRO), Dr. Anna Nenia, Head of the Department of Information Technologies (PhD in Engineering, Associate Professor), and Dr. Alona Yevdokymova, Head of the Practice and Employer Relations Unit (PhD in Engineering, Associate Professor).
Over five days, the SumDU team explored how a European university builds a systematic approach to alumni engagement - from communication and maintaining continuous contact to involving alumni in university development, supporting initiatives, and creating new opportunities for students.
The programme demonstrated that effective alumni engagement requires more than isolated initiatives. It relies on clear organisational structures, well-designed internal processes, and modern digital tools. Participants gained insights into Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s approaches to communication, relationship management, data protection, and the development of an active and engaged alumni community.
Particular attention was given to the role of alumni as active contributors to university development. Discussions focused on how alumni can support entrepreneurial and innovation initiatives, contribute to new projects, and strengthen the university’s connection with the professional environment. An important highlight of the programme was a round table at the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (The Hague), where participants discussed the role of the diaspora in strengthening alumni relations.
For Sumy State University, the visit provided not only an opportunity to learn from the European experience but also to identify approaches that can be effectively adapted to strengthen its own alumni community. The insights gained open new opportunities to expand engagement formats and enhance the role of alumni in university life.
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FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
