Some of the key benefits from an alumni network might include:

• Opportunities to reconnect and socialise with former Fellows after returning home
• Sharing information and promoting events
• An improved profile for the achievements of former Study Fellows
• A means to stay in contact with Irish Aid and to maintain links with Irish institutions, academic staff and ICOS
• Offering a way for new Fellows to ask returned Fellows practical questions
• The network will also provide the Irish Government with a resource for strategic networking and to evaluate the longer term impact of the programme on Irish Aid’s partner countries.

Ethiopia and Uganda will be the two pilot countries for the development of local chapters. In fact, an alumni network is already operating in Uganda and you can read more about it below.

As well as country-based chapters, we also hope to support other forms of linkages, e.g. by academic field and around Irish Aid’s cross-cutting issues such as HIV/AIDS, environment and health.

Similarly, we’re keen to see female Study Fellows networking and helping encourage higher participation of women in the Fellowship in future years.

Your contribution is crucial.

The higher the number of participants, the more successful the Network will be.

We particularly encourage you to consider playing a leadership role in starting and developing a new chapter.