Celebrating UCL’s alumni community across Europe

From 13–17 May, UCL hosted a series of alumni events in Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva, Zurich and Berlin, with some of these locations hosting alumni receptions for the first time in over 20 years.

Home to more than 42,000 alumni and eight alumni groups, mainland Europe forms an integral part of UCL’s global alumni community.

Throughout the week, alumni from across Europe gathered to celebrate their shared connection to UCL, with many travelling from afar to attend their nearest event.

As UCL begins the countdown to its bicentennial in 2026, these events provided an invaluable opportunity for alumni to engage in conversations about the university’s future, learn about the upcoming bicentennial celebrations and share their ideas about how the university can support our European alumni community in the future.

Reconnecting with alumni in the Netherlands

With a week of train travel across Europe ahead, the first stop for the UCL Alumni Relations team was Amsterdam.

At the historic Café Nieuw in the Dutch capital, alumni came together to catch up with former classmates, network and hear the latest news from London from UCL staff.

Throughout the year, the UCL alumni community in the Netherlands stays connected through a range of activities organised by the UCL Alumni Netherlands Group. In 2019, the group was revitalised when alumni Gilles Dillen (MSc Economics and Policy of Energy and Environment 2017) and Jonathan Visser (BA Dutch and Management Studies 2009) teamed up with other local alumni to provide a space for alumni to interact, share experiences and support one another. The group is now looking forward to expanding.

"We want to see the group grow and be interactive. We'd love to encourage people to get involved, come up with suggestions, propose events they'd like to see us do. With the bicentenary 2026 celebrations coming up, it would be fantastic to have more people involved in shaping our activities," says Jonathan.

Parisian perspectives

Next on the itinerary was Paris, where alumni were welcomed to a drinks reception at the British Council with views over the Parisien cityscape.

Guests were joined by members of UCL’s academic community, including Professor Geraint Rees, Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation and Global Engagement); Dr Uta Staiger, Executive Director of the UCL European Institute; and Professor Alan Thompson, Pro-Provost for London and Dean of the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences.

During the evening, Professor Rees, Dr Staiger and Anne Duncan, British Council Director (France), each spoke about the importance of UCL’s European alumni community and the university’s longstanding partnerships across France and Europe.

YouTube Widget Placeholderhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgXqv9lfe2c

Reunions in Switzerland and Germany

The celebrations in Paris were followed by more in Switzerland, where over 60 alumni attended events in Geneva and Zurich, making new connections and catching up with old friends.

In Geneva, alumni attended a panel discussion on careers and employability skills, chaired by alumni volunteer Christiana Onyebujoh. Christiana has decided to establish a new group in her home city as an expression of gratitude to the UCL community that she says helped her get ahead in her career. “At UCL, we gained a lot that we all take with us throughout our careers. I believe that giving back is something we should all do.”

In Zurich, alumni gathered for drinks and snacks at a rooftop bar, marking the first UCL alumni event in the city since 2000.

The week concluded in Berlin with a relaxed evening social event. Alumna Naomi Charlotte Fukuzawa, who volunteers for the UCL Germany Alumni Club, said: “The event was a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and see new faces. It was a perfect evening and I loved speaking with other alumni about their experiences of studying at UCL and in London. I am very much looking forward to helping to support UCL to plan future alumni events in Germany in the years to come.”

Following the trip, Angharad Milenkovic, Vice-President (Advancement), said: “It was brilliant for UCL to be back in mainland Europe and to see so many of our European alumni community come together. As UCL enters its third century, our globally connected alumni community stands as one of our greatest assets, enriching the wider UCL community, strengthening our legacy and shaping a bright future for the university.”

Build your network

UCL is home to alumni groups from across the world that regularly host fun and inspiring activities. If you want to connect with other alumni in your region, we can help you find groups and clubs near you.

If you are an alum based in mainland Europe and would like to volunteer for your local alumni group, contact Andy Stirups, Senior Alumni and Supporter Relations Manager.

To stay in touch between events, reconnect digitally by joining the official UCL alumni group on LinkedIn.

Image

Alumni reception in Paris. Credit: Eléonore de Bonneval

Further links

• Reinforcing UCL’s European connections (UCL Global Engagement news story)
• Learn more about UCL's links to mainland Europe in this video
• UCL and Europe