We were thrilled that so many alumni participated in the Global Alumni Gatherings 2023, with more than 300 alumni gathering across over 30 locations worldwide, including Azerbaijan, Brussels, Washington DC, Toronto, Nanjing, Taipei and Sydney.
These social events offered an opportunity for graduates to reminisce about their time at the University of Birmingham whilst reconnecting with their alumni community in country. A huge success, Global Alumni Gatherings brought alumni together from all corners of the world and are a powerful testament to the unique bond that University of Birmingham alumni share.
There were so many fantastic events, from roof-top drinks, to picnics in the park, to beer tasting and quiz nights. Here’s a round-up of the celebrations and some of the photos to give you a flavour of what went on! You can find more photos on our Flickr album.
Bessie Li (MSc International Marketing, 2014), who hosted a gathering in Shanghai, said: 'The event was a great success! We have incorporated a few activities into the event, such as my updating on the status quo of the university and a couple of alumni sharing their past experiences studying in the University and living in the city of Birmingham. Alumni seemed to have enjoyed the reunion and there was an exciting and happy atmosphere.'
Across the US many others also expressed their excitement for more alumni gatherings and networking in the future. Maria Velissariou (MSc Chemical Engineering, 1988), member of the Birmingham Alumni Network USA said: 'The alumni network is a great forum... We had a wonderful time and folks want to meet more frequently.' Please visit the Birmingham Alumni Network USA webpage to find out how you can get involved.
In Kenya, Florence Wairimu (MSc Business Administration, 2019), brought alumni together for a networking event. The meet-up prompted the establishment of a formal Kenya alumni group who plan to organise activities throughout the year. To get involved in the University of Birmingham Kenya Alumni, please contact Florence Wairimu (MSc Business Administrations, 2019) by connecting on LinkedIn.
We want to thank everyone who attended a Global Alumni Gathering and thank our amazing event hosts who volunteered their time to connect fellow alumni. It is encouraging to see how the level of interest and activity in our international networks continues to grow and there are more exciting opportunities for alumni around the world to meet up.
Information about alumni events and international alumni groups is updated regularly on the website. For further information, including advice on setting up a international group or event, please contact the Alumni Events Team. We value alumni feedback, so if you have suggestions on what sort of events you would like to see in the future, please email the Alumni Events Team so that we can continue improving our events and strengthen alumni networks.
We love to see your photos and videos at events so please tag your photos @birminghamalum or #wearebrumalum, or send your pictures to the Alumni Events Team.
We look forward to welcoming you to a future gathering soon!