From the Alumni Relations Manager’s desk

The University of Auckland currently has over 127,000 alumni, with over 72,000 of them currently residing in the Auckland region. Once again it has been a real pleasure meeting up with so many Alumni & Friends locally, nationally and overseas at alumni functions in 2008. It has been wonderful to see record numbers of people turn up at these events to help us celebrate the University’s 125th Anniversary as well as to celebrate alumni and to network with each other and University staff.

2008 Jubilee Events
Our Alumni & Friends Events Calendar kicked off in March with 620 people attending The Distinguished Alumni Awards Annual Dinner and we had excellent turn outs at the Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series. Numbers were also strong at a former staff function organised by the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, a Town & Gown event and at events in London, New York, Sydney, Whangarei, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai.

The University of Auckland Society (an independent alumni group run by alumni for alumni, based in Auckland) held a number of well-attended events in 2008, including a University of Auckland Strings concert and another Great Tertiary debate. The recently re-launched Pacific Alumni Group held a packed Pacific stylz ball on 24th October in Auckland to celebrate the University’s Jubilee and Pacific achievement. A number of informal events were also organised by our volunteer alumni co-ordinators in New York, Hong Kong and other locations.

Up & Coming Alumni & Friends events for Autumn 2009:

• Auckland (Distinguished Alumni Awards Annual Dinner): Friday 13 March
• Auckland (Distinguished Alumni Speaker Day: Saturday 14 March
• London Alumni & Friends Reception: Monday 16 March
• New York Alumni & Friends Reception: Wednesday 18 March

@Auckland e-newsletter
If you would like to receive our monthly Alumni & Friends community e-newsletter @auckland for details of upcoming events, photo galleries from past events, current University news items, discounts on AUP books and other special offers please visit www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/update to provide us with your current email address.

The newsletter is currently mailed out to 52,000 Alumni & Friends. If you wish to promote an event or activity to Alumni via @auckland please send a request to alumni@auckland.ac.nz. Please note we send out @auckland on the 1st Tuesday of each month and require any content at least three weeks prior to sending. We also do not directly advertise to alumni unless it is specifically relevant to them. Any content will be run by the Web Manager for approval first.

Ingenio alumni magazine
If you would like to receive either a hard or electronic copy of Ingenio magazine please update your details on the Alumni & Friends website at the url above. Ingenio is currently published twice a year, around May and October/November and has circulation of around 98,000.

If you would like to be considered for an alumni news story, featured in Alumni Snapshots or if you have recently published a book and would like it to be considered for review please email ingenio@auckland.ac.nz or phone +64 9 373 7599 ext.84149.

International Alumni Network
The Alumni Office continues to receive many requests from alumni asking how they can become a local volunteer alumni co-ordinator or how to set up a local alumni group. The Alumni Office is currently working on producing an easy guide, which will be posted on the Alumni & Friends website to assist alumni who wish to contribute to an active, engaged alumni community. Details of any upcoming informal events will be posted on the Alumni & Friends website and sent out to local alumni via email in their area.

Click here to view a list of the local volunteer alumni co-ordinators

If you would like to consider becoming a volunteer alumni co-ordinator for your area, then please contact Sarah Crosswell, at alumni@auckland.ac.nz for further information.

Alumni Survey
The Alumni Relations Office is currently reviewing how it can better serve the Alumni & Friends community. In October and early November 46,000 of our alumni community received an email from Colmar Brunton inviting them to complete a 15-minute electronic survey on The University of Auckland’s Alumni Relations Office. The survey aims to gather feedback on our core services so that we can improve them and give you better ways to connect with each other and the University.

The results received have been analysed  and will be used to inform our strategic priorities for the future. I would like to thank all those members of the community who participated in this research project. Your support and feedback is highly valued and warmly received.

Keep in touch!

Amanda Lyne
Alumni Relations Manager