The University of Benin currently relies on the following strategies for alumni data capture, graduate tracing, mobilisation and communication:
- Through the registration of all graduating students by the University of Benin Alumni Association at the Alumni Centre, University of Benin, Benin City.
- Through the clearance/collation of details of all registered graduates of the University of Benin at the Student Affairs Division
- Through the registration with the Directorate of Alumni Relations as Convocation members for the purpose of participating in the University’s Convocation election and other activities. For this purpose, branches/chapters of the University of Benin Alumni Association worldwide usually submit a comprehensive list of their members to the Directorate of the Alumni Relations.
- Through the database of the University of Benin Alumni Association.
The University of Benin Alumni Association (UBAA)
The University of Benin Alumni Association was established in 1979 to foster cordial and mutually beneficial relationships among the graduates and between the graduates and the University. Today, the Association has 40 main branches and several chapters in Nigeria, North America, the United Kingdom and Canada.
The telephone numbers, email addresses, WhatsApp and other social media platforms of the following officers and branches of the Association are veritable means of tracing, mobilising and communicating with our alumni worldwide:
The use of social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram as means of interaction has further contributed to the ease of locating and reaching most alumni of the University. There are also class unions that use these social media platforms to interact and locate one another.
The Directorate of Alumni Relations also relies on the various Alumni magazines and programme brochures printed during alumni activities by the alumni branches to identify and locate some alumni of the University.
UNIBEN Graduate Database Update
The Directorate of Alumni Relations and Endowment has created an online system to capture the data of all graduates of the University. The information required from alumni are
i. Name (while as a student in the University)
ii. Current name and title
iii. Matriculation Number
iv. Year of Matriculation
v. Year of graduation
vii. Employment Status and rank
viii. Office Address
ix. Contact Address
x. Email address
xi. Phone number
xii. Membership and Name of Alumni Branch/Chapter
Alumni Reunions and Conferences
The branches of the University of Benin Alumni Association in Nigeria, North America, the United Kingdom and Canada always organize annual reunions during which UNIBEN Alumni in those places are brought together for a reunion, conference and celebration. The Vice-Chancellor and Director of Alumni Relations are always invited to these reunions, which provide a great opportunity for tracing and networking with alumni of the University.
CONCLUSION
With over 350,000 graduates produced since its inception, the Directorate of Alumni Relations is leveraging technology to trace and mobilise the alumni toward increased contribution to the growth and development of the University. PASET membership and activities will provide further reasons and responsibilities for the Directorate of Alumni Relations and Endowment to lay more emphasis on the tracing of UNIBEN graduates, especially those who must have benefitted from the PASET’s higher education, skills development and technical assistance, as a means of carrying out regular benchmarking activities.
