Two companies operating in the international ed space, ICEF and Academic Assembly, have launched ICEF Alumni, a new program aiming to help schools and universities set up a global alumni network.
Alumni can be schools’ “most powerful brand ambassadors and advocates”, according to ICEF Alumni, as not only can they participate in recruitment events, but they can promote an institution by word of mouth or help with local social media campaigns.
“Almost every institution will admit that they have very poor data”
Academic Assembly chairman Mitch Leventhal told The PIE News educators can use the service to locate and re-engage with their alumni.
“Almost every institution will admit that they have very poor data. They haven’t maintained their records, the records are inaccurate,” he said.
Universities wishing to track down international alumni can also benefit from the program, according to Leventhal.
Academic Assembly‘s clients have included the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and has assisted with its alumni networks in Africa and Papua New Guinea.
The company has worked with American School of Lagos in Nigeria.
ICEF Alumni is in the process of sharing its new global alumni solutions with current and potential new clients, the company said.
ICEF Alumni uses an online system called Alumni-OS, where the company will upload data that institutions have typically not retained.
“We don’t guarantee that we can locate every single alumnus, what we tell them is that we are going to develop an accurate alumni list and you can then build your relationships from that list versus the trash that you started with,” Leventhal added.
ICEF Alumni uses AIRC-certified agents to locate alumni, and through the program, agents have another source of income.
“We are bringing [agents] another product they can deliver,” Leventhal said. Working with alumni networks can also bring other benefits to agents, he added.
“This can lead to student recruitment opportunities, and the the institutions are happy to have [more] students come as well.”
