Research alumni activities at universities, universities of applied science and research institutions in Germany are at the pioneering stage. Research alumni can be of great assistance to their host institutions in Germany as multipliers, advisors and points of contact abroad on matters relating to internationalization. At present, this potential is still not being properly utilized. In the framework of its activities to support research alumni work in Germany, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is thus organizing workshops for research alumni advisors (initially for the duration of the “International Research Marketing” project). The objective is to pool the information at the disposal of those who deal with research alumni matters at universities, universities of applied science, and research institutions in Germany.

P R O G R A M M E

„Research Alumni as Ambassadors, Partners, Friends and Patrons“

Day 1, Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Venue: University of Bayreuth

12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Registration and afternoon snack

2:00 - 2:15 p.m. Welcome Address

Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible, President of the University of Bayreuth
Dr. Ulrike Albrecht, Head of Department Strategy and External
Relations, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Bettina Flegel, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

2:15 - 2:45 p.m. Research alumni as an integral part of international cooperation in research, teaching, and networking
Dr. Arnim Heinemann, Director of the International Office, University of Bayreuth
Research alumni activities are crucial to the success of internationalization. Research alumni play a key role in the networking of partners, the development of new research fields, and the recruitment of students and scholars. These instruments can be used to efficiently develop a consistent and sustainable internationalization strategy, especially for small and mediumsized universities.

2:45 - 3:30 p.m. Towards European Research Alumni – university networks as a platform for pan-European researchers
Dr. Brian Cahill, Chairman of Marie Curie Alumni Association
Peter van der Hijden, Board member of the garagErasmus Foundation
Dr. Gisela Janetzke, former Secretary General of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Dr. Katja Lasch, Head of Department International Research Marketing - K22, DAAD
Prof. Dr. Luciano Saso, President of UNICA, Sapienza University of Rome
Prof. Dr. Jacek Witkoś, President of the SGROUP,
Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań
Moderation: Dr. Arnim Heinemann, University of Bayreuth
Committing international researchers to national or regional locations in the long term is a major challenge given the specific characteristics of the German higher education system’s infrastructure. Strengthening the identification with the nearby European Research Area might be achieved via the concept of a “European Research Alumnus”. But to what extent can European university networks play a role in this and in the support of national research alumni activities?

3:30 - 4:00 p.m. Coffee break

4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Research alumni activities in practice: working groups
Each working group will be chaired by a research alumni coordinator. A panel of experts will be discussing at the same time.

WG 1: Research alumni as sponsors: experience and methods in Germany
Moderation: Sabine Höhl, University of Bonn; Christin Wannagat, RWTH Aachen

WG 2: The profile of research alumni advisors and the service spectrum of international alumni activities at higher education institutions
Moderation: Susanne Mahler, University of Konstanz; Silke Rodenberg, Heidelberg University

WG 3: The UBT Alumni Network (“Global Bayreuth Identity”) and other best practice examples of international alumni network activities
Moderation: Thorsten Parchent, University of Bayreuth, Frank Hasenstab, University of Cologne; Dr. Julia von Mendel, Technical University of Munich

WG 4: Research alumni as ambassadors and partners in Career Development
Moderation: Prof. Dr. Alexandra Hughes, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement, University of Westminster

Expert Panel: Research associations and their contribution to a pan-European research alumnus
Dr. Brian Cahill, Chairman of the Marie Curie Alumni Association
Peter van der Hijden, board member of the garagErasmus Foundation
Prof. Dr. Anke Jentsch, Member of the Bayreuth Centre of Ecology &
Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth
Prof. Dr. Luciano Saso, President of UNICA, Sapienza University of Rome
Prof. Dr. Jacek Witkoś, President of the SGROUP,
Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań
Moderation: Dr. Arnim Heinemann, University of Bayreuth

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Feedback from the working groups/ from the expert panel

6:45 p.m. Shuttle to dinner location

7:00 - 9:30 p.m. Dinner
Dinner Speech:
Felicity Jones, European Research Development Manager, University of Melbourne
3rd Workshop for Research Alumni Coordinators

Day 2, Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Venue: University of Bayreuth
9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Open Space relating to research alumni activities (with coffee and cookies)
Based on their interests, participants can join various discussion tables relating to aspects of research alumni activities. Contacts for the following areas of research alumni activities will also be present:
1.) research alumni activities in Europe 2.) research alumni activities and scholars at risk 3.) legal issues & network activities 4.) research alumni activities and databases 5.) research alumni activities and research marketing. Moreover, representatives from the working groups of the previous day will be present.

11:00 - 11:45 a.m. From the Excellence Initiative to an excellent alumni network
Prof. Dr. Dymitr Ibriszimow, Dean BIGSAS Graduate School, University of Bayreuth
More and more research projects in the context of Collaborative Research centres (CRC) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) are international. Ensuring the sustainability and strategic development of such important research and university networks requires a professional alumni strategy that is incorporated in the concept from the very start. In this regard, graduate schools, in particular, can serve as best practice models.

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Researchers in Danger – Research alumni activities in the
Philipp Schwartz Initiative and the European Scholars at Risk Network
Dr. Hans Abelius (Director of the International Centre, Swedish section of Scholars at Risk, University of Gothenburg), Sinead O'Gorman (European Director, Scholars at Risk), Dr. Barbara Sheldon (Head of Strategic Planning, Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation), Dr. Samer Bachmaf, Dr. Eylem Camuroglu Cig, Dr. Amal El-Obeidi, (Bayreuth PSI scholarship recipients), and Prof. Dr. Christine Hanke, Prof. Dr. Georg Klute, Prof. Dr. Britta Planer-Friedrich (tbc) (Mentors)
Moderation: Dr. Arnim Heinemann (University of Bayreuth)
Researchers at risk are in need of networks in their home country and abroad in order to advance in their careers, support their families, and ensure some security in their lives. In how far can research alumni be recruited for such network activities and incorporated in new research projects jointly planned with scholars at risk?

12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Afternoon snack and end of workshop