Fostering a strong sense of belonging among students and alumni is key to driving engagement. Here are three impactful strategies to get started.
Edu is anxious—he's starting his Master’s with a small bank loan and family support, hoping it will lead to the career leap he needs to meet his financial commitments. But will it be enough? How can he strengthen his profile throughout his educational journey to secure his future?
Don’t leave student success to chance—empower them with the right opportunities!
Higher education institutions can't make it mandatory for students to go beyond academics.
But...
they should create a culture and opportunities for the students to grow further. Here are 3 ideas for a start:
Student-led initiatives
Instill student-led initiatives like sports clubs, special interest clubs, career-focused groups, or even conferences like the EBS Symposium, the largest student-led business conference in Europe.
Being involved in management roles in those initiatives builds leadership skills and allows to connect with stakeholders outside the university environment. So, if Edu were to be interested in working in Consulting after graduation, he might consider leading the Consulting Club. It provides him with great exposure to many consulting firms. It's different when applying to a role as Eduardo or as the President of the Consulting Club, even more so when Edu has developed personal contacts with partners during his presidency.
Networking Culture
Creating a culture of belonging and a connected campus is important to build relationships beyond the time on campus. Develop events that allow students to engage across faculties to foster multidisciplinary exchanges and connections: break the silos!
Ambassador Programs
To enhance the spirit of belonging, the institution can create ambassador roles. You can use ambassadors for student recruitment and admissions initiatives. Ambassadors can create authentic videos about their student experience. They can help onboard new cohorts and volunteer in many other initiatives by the institution.
When Edu engages actively, he can polish his skill set and stand out from the crowd with his extra-curricular activities. Ultimately, he boosts his profile and the likeliness of the envisioned career jump.
There are many more ways to build personal and professional growth platforms for students.
Really?
Yes! If you are curious, explore our Services.
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