Collaboration with alumni is playing an increasingly important role in shaping future-proof education at Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM). According to Hakan Abali, Relationship Manager for the Impact of Education, alumni are not an external target group, but an essential part of the academic community. “Alumni are worth their weight in gold,” he argues. “They’re the bridge between education and practice.”
Alumni play a key role in impact-driven education by raising relevant issues from the field. “The collaboration is incredibly productive, and the great thing is that all parties involved can benefit from it,” says Abali. “This way, students not only learn the theory, but they also apply it directly to current societal challenges. In doing so, they’re able to develop professional skills, deepen their substantive knowledge and build their network.”
Fresh perspectives
The alumni themselves and the organisations they work for also benefit from this cooperation, such as from the students’ fresh perspectives and analytically sound insights. “Students often have new perspectives on complex problems, precisely because they aren’t yet stuck in existing patterns of thinking,” says Abali. “We see that organisations find this valuable. It also allows students to get a more realistic and broader picture of the professional field. Instead of focusing exclusively on the big names, they are now getting to know a wider selection of parties within healthcare. This helps them make more informed decisions about their career and follow their interests in a more focused way.”
Moreover, we should not underestimate the role alumni play as a mirror for education, Abali believes: “Because they work in professional practice every day, they can give the university insight into current developments and changing needs within the sector, such as digitalisation, appropriate care and sustainability. This feedback helps programmes continuously improve their curricula to match the realities of the field, which in turn will produce future professionals who will enter the labour market well prepared. It’s a win-win!”
A learning community
According to Abali, cooperation with alumni is emphatically reciprocal in nature: it is not just about what alumni can do for the university, but also about what the university can do for them. Consider, for example, access to knowledge, research, networks and opportunities for further professional development. This allows alumni to remain part of a learning community long after completing their studies. Or, as Abali puts it: “A community where students, alumni, faculty and partners build better education, a better organisation and a better society together. Yes, I like that.”
The cooperation need not stop when the practical assignments are completed. Sometimes they can lead to further opportunities, such as internships, graduation projects or other forms of long-term collaboration. These opportunities have repeatedly driven innovation among organisations in the professional field.
What can ESHPM help with?
ESHPM calls on alumni to contribute practical assignments. By sharing challenges from their own organisation, they can benefit from a fresh perspective and contribute to the education of future professionals. “The approach is deliberately facilitative,” concludes Abali. “Not: what can you do for us? But: what can we help you with?”
More information
Interested parties can join the ESHPM alumni LinkedIn group. This keeps them in touch not only with the university, but also with a large network of other alumni.
ESHPM offers postgraduate education for every career stage to deepen professional knowledge. Discover the range of options here.
