IHS Alumni International; first off line board meeting
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IHS AI board meets face to face
‘Linking Urban Professionals’ initative kicks off! The establishment of IHS Alumni International Board marks the beginning of 2010. The board responsible to govern IHS Alumni International, including develop policies and ensure the sustainability of the Network. Therefore, the newly selected board had to meet to develop the framework and workplan of IHS Alumni International Network.
For that purpose, Sarah Steendam and Christina Liesegang from the IHS Alumni Relation Office facilitated the meeting of all board members: Jaime Hernandez, Ivan Katalonge, Mellyana Frederika and Melis Varkal. Started from May 28th until May 31st 2010, the board meeting took place in The Netherlands. For four days, the board held its first board meeting at IHS Headquarter in Rotterdam and Stavoren at the north side of the country.
It was an extensive program with 6 meetings, 5 content sessions, some dinner and an alumni day as listed below:
• The board introductory meeting aimed to allow the board to know each other and finalize the programme
• Introduction meeting to IHS staff and general activities to brief the board on current staff and situation of IHS
• Meeting with a representative the Erasmus University Alumni Association Dr. Arie Fakkert to initiate and strengthen future cooperation between the two networks
• Six content sessions on framework and workplan. These sessions took place in Stavoren
• Lunch meeting with IHS staff to inform the board framework and workplan
• Management meeting to discuss how to move forward
• Follow up and evaluation meeting as a wrap up session.
• Dinner sessions arranged to get to know each other and enjoy the scenery of Rotterdam and Stavoren
1. Action Plan for time period May 2010 to April 2012
The action plan has been built for two years, from May 2010 to April 2012, which corresponds to the elected time of the current board; however it is believed that its impact could last longer because it is aimed to firmly set up the Network and project it into the future. This section highlights the main issues of the plan.
Please give us your response on the Action Plan!
Objectives for 2010 – 2012
• Build up and firmly establish the IHS AI
• Build up a mutual beneficial relationship with the IHS
• Create and strengthen visibility of IHS AI, under the motto ‘Linking Urban Professionals’
• Create and sustain services to IHS alumni
• Promote and support Local IHS Alumni Associations and Regional IHS alumni meetings around the World
• Link IHS AI with other networks in the search for more visibility and opportunities for alumni
Strategies
• Permanent communication with IHS and look to work together in certain issues
• Enhance communication with alumni
• Focus on building from Local Associations
• Division of board members as contact persons per continent
• Building up from current participants (‘alumni to be’)
Milestones
It is expected that through this action plan, the board should establish a strong visibility of IHS Alumni International Network and number new initiatives to allow exchange knowledge and experience in professional, academic and social aspects.
2. Endorsement and commitment from IHS Management Team
The Action Plan was presented and discussed among IHS staff and the management in two separate meetings. The board met the management to confirm the mutual relationship would enhance the IHS position and at the same time a privileged position of all its alumni. IHS has been very supportive to the work of the board and confirmed to provide necessary support and access to the board.
Concluding Remarks
This report summarises the work carried out during the IHS AI board meeting held in The Netherlands from the 28th to the 31st of May, 2010. But it also represents a concrete proposal to what IHS AI can be; from firmly organising the foundations, to project alumni into a worldwide and promising future, and with them, the IHS as a world leader training, research and consultancy institution. The mutual IHS AI – IHS beneficial relationship that this plan wants to create is clear; we firmly believe that if IHS AI successes in connecting alumni and provide a platform to develop professional, academic and social services, will be redundant to IHS image, worldwide recognition and at the end, marketing results. In the same regard, if IHS successes in providing a quality training, research and consultancy; it will be beneficial to all alumni in terms of visibility, recognition, and at the end, better jobs. It is therefore, a win – win relationship, but we need each other to success.
The challenge now is how to convert these beautiful ideas into actions and results. Obviously, the action plan presented here moves forward into that direction; however we need help. As said before, we appreciate support and financial contribution from the IHS; but perhaps even more important, we need help from the more of 7,000 IHS alumni around the world. With the support of IHS Alumni Relation Office; the board of IHS AI with 4 people ‘working’ on voluntary basis, believing in the concept and the potentials of IHS AI. But the board will not get very far just by ourselves; the board appreciates the participation, engagement and contribution of the alumni in the plans outlined here. Alumni can start with making themselves visible, by contacting the IHS alumni relations office, update their details and become active members; also they could join in the social and professional networks: Facebook and LinkedIn, for a more instant and permanent communication. After that alumni could join the local IHS alumni association, or connect the local contact person and try to move things forward; and if there is not any local contact person, take the initiative and become that person by starting the formation of the Local IHS Alumni Association. At the end, the only way to make local a global association as ours, is through local actions. The IHS AI board will do every effort to support these initiatives.
The future is ours, but we need to work for it!
Download the full report of the IHS Alumni International Board Meeting.
