The Role of Alumni Relations in Higher Education Marketing Strategies

Alumni provide a valuable marketing conduit for educational institutions to not only share the positive experience and atmosphere of the university but to illustrate the competencies learned that are positively impacting employers. Alumni who are interested in giving back need channels through which they can remain connected to their alma maters. The connection of alumni, the university and the labour market fill a critical need in an economy where competition increases, traditional student population decreases and budgets tighten. One of the approaches of the alumni - academy relationship is the use of institutional advancement strategies - building lifelong relationships with stakeholders including alumni offers a higher education institution a strategy to increase support for an institution and to yield other residual benefits. Implementing alumni relations management in the marketing strategies of the universities is inevitable and universities have wide range of marketing instruments including communication mix and database marketing to engage alumni.