Perspective Chapter: Alumni Engagement in Higher Education Institutions – Perspectives from India

Abstract

Engaging with alumni has become an institutional priority for many higher educational institutions. Alumni help in building the institutional brand and Universities are devising their own strategies for engagement with their alumni. In this pursuit, institutions also encounter certain challenges. Given the diversity in the institutional strategies toward alumni engagement, the challenges faced by them are also diverse. The purpose of this chapter is to study the key practices of higher education institutions in India in the area of alumni engagement and identify challenges faced by them in engaging with alumni, especially from a mid- to long-term perspective. The study has been done based on a purposive sample for institutions in India that have been graded high on quality assurance and sustenance by assessment and accreditation agencies such as NAAC and AACSB. The information available on the home pages of these institutions has been used for the purpose of the study. The study reveals certain key strategies and best practices that can be implemented by institutions for greater engagement. Involving the alumni in all aspects of the institutional functioning is the key to nurturing a healthy association.

Why Alumni Stay Engaged with their Alma Mater? Understanding the Factors in Malaysian Context

“…Institutes of higher learning greatly focus on alumni engagement for a number of reasons. They contribute to the development of institutional branding, enhancement of student recruitment, increased fundraising, mentoring of students, and employability of graduates (Jonbekova, Serkova, Mazbulova, Jumakulov, & Ruby, 2023;Parimala & Jayesh, 2023). Given the financial stress put on every sector across the globe due to the Covid-19 pandemic, higher education institutes are devising different coping strategies to stay competitive.…”