The Business School of UCU is not only about the development and education of Ukrainian business, but also about self-improvement and internal refinement within the team. Since UCU Business School is a full member of the European Foundation for Management Development, this allows community members to participate in various international events, gain new knowledge, and improve their skills. One of these events was the EFMD Alumni Relations Seminar webinar series for managers of communication with alumni communities. The aim of the event was to deepen the understanding of each of the key spheres of alumni relations and to grasp the main priorities for creating and developing new communication strategies. The Association of Alumni and Community Manager at LvBS, Tetiana Novolodska, shared her impressions of participating in this endeavor.
As the keynote expert of the event, Sarah Sidman, Executive Director of Media Minds Global (UK), was in charge. Such leading specialists as Erin Gallaett, Emily Cristou, Joseph Farthing, and Morin O’Hara shared their experiences and knowledge with the participants of the webinars.
Tetiana noted that this was her inaugural experience of an international workshop in the sphere of communication: “I felt the need for a fresh breath to work with the Community, to broaden horizons. And here is a workshop where I can familiarize myself with other community managers of alumni from around the world while learning, sharing experiences, and establishing connections for future partnerships. I was struck by the openness and simplicity of communication. I was glad to learn about the path of alumni community formation and interesting cases that prompted reflection on what we can implement at our university and Business School to achieve goals and prioritize objectives. The next step is attending such workshops, physical acquaintance, and continuation of collaboration at the Alumni to Alumni level.
According to Tetiana, the most valuable aspect of the EFMD Alumni Relations Seminar was the opportunity to connect with numerous professionals working with the alumni community across various business schools and members of EFMD. The manager had the chance to impart information about the UCU Business School, the current events in Ukraine, and the work of the LvBS alumni community in this reality. Furthermore, the encounter with international practices in management and event organization was a valuable experience.
We remind that the UCU Business School will gain full membership in the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). This decision was approved on December 12, 2022 by the Membership Review Committee of the European Management Development Foundation. EFMD is the largest network association in Europe in the field of management development, uniting 972 institutional members from 90 countries worldwide and 30,000 professionals in the field of management development.
