Student-Alumni Networks - Making them Specific

Student-Alumni networking is perhaps the most important way to create job opportunities for higher education. But while there are many impressive Alumni networks at Universities around the world, there is one measure I would like to propose, to help the process.

Most of the Universities I know of, in the UK, (including my own), usually have one main Alumni network, for Alumni from all schools of the university. There is then usually one main student network - on the University's Facebook or LinkedIn page, where students of all schools may network with one another.

The advantage that these networks have, is of course, that they are universal. Students and Alumni from all professions, may meet to share ideas, connections, and attend events. There are many great benefits to this co-operative way of thinking. Yet at the same time, I believe we are missing another important aspect of student-Alumni networking: the need to network within a profession. That is why there is a specific kind of networking I would like to propose, for the universities' Alumni officers to try. My proposal is this.

As well as our main networks, I believe that each School should set up a specialised student-Alumni network, in house, for both its students and Alumni to use. For example, Engineering students and Alumni could have a closed, specific in house LinkedIn group exclusively for them. This network would also have direct links with online engineering networks, to which the University was affiliated. The same could be done for the Medical School; the Science School and so on for each profession. (Students and Alumni of multiple disciplines would of course have access to each of their Schools' networks.)

The students and Alumni of these networks would have a special knowledge transferring arrangement with one another. The Alumni would offer them key connections and industry specific info; and in turn, the students would offer the Alumni their innovations, for projects of the Alumni's choosing. (Much of this is done currently, as part of Knowledge Transfer projects within the Alumni's businesses; but these separate projects could be brought together within one LinkedIn network, or similar social media platform.) They could also coordinate mentoring-internships from these networks.

I believe that by concentrating on the professions themselves, we can amplify the networking process, and increase knowledge transfer, to help developments within each industry. Our social media is sophisticated enough. Let's take the next step.