Author: Natalie Hill

Beijing alumni network – legal profession salon, 20 October 2018

Posted on by Natalie Hill

Beijing Alumni Association sharing salon

This October the University of Bristol Beijing alumni network held their first alumni sharing salon at the Wanyi Art Museum.

The session focused on the legal industry, with 17 alumni gathering to hear from three outstanding alumni.

  • Liu Shaohua (LLM 2016) introduced the construction and considerations of private equity funds.
  • Liu Jinna (LLM 2014) shared her experience working in law and as an entrepreneur.
  • Yuan Meng (MA 2013) talked about commercial arbitration and shared some practical experience of the process.

There was a lively discussion, with alumni sharing their experiences of the workplace and giving advice to new graduates starting their careers.

Thanks to Zhou Wei who suggested the event, and association members Si Yan and He Liu who kindly coordinated.

For those who couldn’t attend this time there are still many topics to be discussed at future sharing salon sessions. The association also intend to hold a series of industry lectures. For more information connect with the Beijing alumni network on WeChat using the ID: bristolalumnibeijing.

Tokyo alumni get-together, 31 October 2018

Posted on by Natalie Hill

Tokyo alumni get-together

More than 20 alumni and friends gathered in central Tokyo for an alumni get-together this October. Hosted by University of Bristol Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement), Dr Erik Lithander, the evening was a great success.

Dr Lithander was visiting Tokyo as part of the Universities UK International delegation and was joined on the night by one of his fellow delegates (and Bristol alumnus), the Dean of Global Engagement at the University of Glasgow, Professor Konstantinos Kontis (BEng 1993).

Alumni from across the globe were welcomed, including an alumna visiting Tokyo on holiday and another who was new to Tokyo, having relocated from Singapore. Two alumni in attendance were moving back to Bristol just two days after the event, and we look forward to welcoming them back to Bristol.

Since members of the University team and alumni last met in 2016 relationships have been forged and professional connections strengthened, even culminating a movie role for one alumna! Events such as these are central to building a strong network of alumni in Japan, and our special thanks go to Ian Thomas Ash (MA 2005) and Emi Ashikaga (BSc 2008, PhD 2013) for all their help in making the evening such a success.

London Branch Annual Lecture and AGM, 31 October 2018

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London Branch Annual Lecture and AGM

Julian Metcalfe (BSc 1978)

On 31 October some 60 members of the London Branch of the University of Bristol Alumni met for their Annual General Meeting and Annual Lecture in the Chaucer Room within the Knowledge Centre at the new, modern, headquarters of the British Library.

Our Lecturer this year was Will Hutton (BSc Economics and Sociology 1972, Honorary LLD 2003), former broadcaster and Editor in Chief at ’The Observer’, and currently Principal, Hertford College, Oxford.  He spoke to the themes set out in his recently published book “Saving Britain:  How We Must Change to Prosper in Britain” (jointly authored with Lord Adonis).

Will set out the stark, bleak, dangers inherent in Britain’s exit from the EU.  He blamed the referendum result on the fact that millions of ordinary people felt marginalised by the lack of opportunities in education, employment, and welfare.  Will said we had to create a much more inclusive and caring society if the country’s prospects were to thrive.

This well received Lecture was, as always, followed by an opportunity to socialise over food and wine, and appears to have been much enjoyed by all.

We were also pleased to be joined by Professor Agnes Nairn, Professor of Marketing, School of Economics, Finance & Management, at the University. She kindly delivered the Vote of Thanks to Will, and outlined some of the exciting new developments in the University curriculum designed to ensure that students are better equipped to compete in an increasingly competitive job market.

Those attending the AGM thanked our outgoing Treasurer, Julia Wathen (BSc 1972), for her many years of service.  Dr Martin Lunnon (BSc 1973, PhD 1976) was elected incoming Treasurer.

Helping you with your alumni network event

Posted on by Natalie Hill


Bristol Volunteers co-ordinate and manage dozens of events, exclusively for Bristol alumni, all around the world. They bring alumni together to reconnect with each other, the University and Bristol, sharing their memories and passions. We want to work with you to publicise your event in the best way that we can. So if you currently organise events for alumni or are thinking about doing so, here’s how we can help.

Getting started

We help alumni who want to reconnect with their peers, and groups based on geographic location, Hall of Residence, profession or club. Find out more about our alumni networks and email alumni-volunteers@bristol.ac.uk if you’ve got an idea you’d like to discuss.

Promoting your event

Timescales for planning are individual to each event but as much notice as you can give us will help when it comes to maximising your event promotion. As you’ll probably know, at some times of year we have a very busy schedule of alumni communications and it may take a few weeks to co-ordinate sending an invite. So please try to let us know about your event at least two months in advance to ensure we can best help.

To help promote your event, we can:

What you can do to help promote your event:

  • promote your event through your own personal networks;
  • encourage your peers and contacts to spread the word, and to like and share posts online and get a conversation going on social media;
  • keep your guests informed as speakers are confirmed and consider using a number of ways to keep in touch. Some people need a little reminder or encouragement to book.

After the event

We’d love to hear how your event went so we can let other alumni know what’s going on in their area:

  • send us a report (about 300 words) and photographs so we can celebrate your event and share its success on Nonesuch online (please remember to make sure the alumni in your photographs are happy to be featured);
  • make sure to share the attendance list and any alumni updates with us so that we can keep the database current.

Got an idea?

If you are thinking of planning an event, get in touch by emailing alumni-volunteers@bristol.ac.uk and keep us in the loop with all your plans.

In line with the University of Bristol data policy, the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) contact alumni about events and activities relevant to them as part of the Bristol alumni network. To help your event on its way to success, we recommend that your event provides one or more of the following opportunities, based on international best practice for alumni engagement:

  • Reminisce, reconnect with friends and remember time spent at Bristol. Events like class-group reunions and dinners in University venues are good examples.
  • Build professional networks and connections. Networking events based on a particular career or industry, events held in geographic locations where Bristol alumni are less numerous, or speaker-events focused on career development, are good examples.
  • Access exclusive resources, only available as part of the Bristol network. Special event venues and visits, which can be accessed through an alumni connection, or the opportunity to hear from prominent alumni within the network, are good examples.
  • Stimulate academic curiosity. Events with talks from Bristol academics or from other members of the Bristol network are good examples.

DARO will segment the Bristol alumni database to contact members of the network that are most likely to be interested in the activity – for example, because of their academic discipline, current profession or their interests whilst at Bristol.

Alumni events should be relevant to the audience, have a clear link to Bristol and ideally be exclusive to Bristol alumni and friends. We also commit to providing alumni with adequate notice for events, which will vary depending on the activity. Other events, which may also be of interest to alumni, can be promoted through our exclusive LinkedIn group for alumni.

Information on GDPR for Bristol Volunteers

Posted on by Natalie Hill


For Bristol Volunteers who run events and activities for the benefit of fellow alumni and the University – please take the time to familiarise yourself with the latest in EU law.

As you’ll know, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) came into effect in May 2018 signalling significant changes to the way in which we need to store and manage the personal data that we hold. Because of your association with the University we are keen to check you are taking necessary steps to comply with the regulations.

If you don’t hold alumni data – you don’t need to worry – the University holds its alumni data in compliance and can continue to send messages to your audience on your behalf.

If you are holding data, please confirm to us in writing (by email to alumni-volunteers@bristol.ac.uk) that you are acting in compliance.

Put simply –

  • If you do hold data but it is out of date or no longer needed – please delete this data.
  • If you do maintain mailing lists to enable your activity – you need to assure that you comply with the new law. This means:
    • you must be confident that you are using the data for the purposes it was given;
    • you have a privacy policy explaining how you use data;
    • you include a way for people to opt-out of your communications (if you send them);
    • and that the data you hold is safe and secure.

The University has some useful online guidance available. If you need further advice or support please contact alumni-volunteers@bristol.ac.uk so that we can link you up to the Information Governance Department.

Eastern Canada alumni weekend 2018

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Eastern Canada alumni weekend 2018

Heather Proctor (BSc 1964) and Sefton Haisz (BSc 1967)

The Westover Inn in St Marys, Ontario was the venue for the 16th Eastern Canada Alumni reunion. Alumni and their partners travelled from Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton and Guelph on Friday 28 September.

The Inn provided excellent facities for dining and conversing, which is a big part of our reunion! David Burns (BEng1958) and George Plant (BSc 1963) gave fascinating after dinner talks about their research at Bristol and subsequent work, on the topics of high pressure studies and the Geological Survey of Canada, respectively.

The weather cooperated on the Saturday when we visited Stratford, Ontario for the day. We toured the Festival gardens, lunched in the Eaton Lounge of the Festival Theatre, then attended “The Music Man”, a fast-moving musical production enjoyed by all 14 of us.  In the evening, we returned to the Westover Inn for our reunion dinner.

We are already looking forward to next year, when our September reunion will be in Peterborough, Ontario.

Cambridge Branch annual dinner, 20 October 2018

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Cambridge Branch annual dinner 2018
Alison Wilson (BA 1966)

Trinity College was the spectacular setting for the Cambridge Branch’s Ninth Annual Dinner on 20 October. The late afternoon sun shone on the stone buildings and spacious lawns as we made our way to the Library, an elegant building by the river designed by Christopher Wren. Through the colonnades and up the wide stair and we were in a huge room lined with bays of leather-bound books, each bay surmounted by a marble statue. The Librarian, Dr Nicolas Bell, welcomed us and talked about the history of the Library before showing us some recently-acquired books relating to Chatterton, the boy poet of Bristol.

We were dining in the Old Kitchen, a historic room with a high ceiling funnelling to a window in the centre where no doubt the smoke once escaped. Further signs of its former use were a massive fireplace and an old spit fixed to the wall. The room is now hung with oil paintings and looked very festive with white linen tablecloths, candles and flowers on the tables. We enjoyed excellent cuisine – terrine, venison and poached pear – with plenty of fine wine. After coffee we were addressed by Denis Burn, Chair of the Trustees. His speech, amusing and serious by turns, brought us up to date with the recent changes in governance at Bristol and the consultations about a re-designed Alumni Association. We appreciated his willingness to answer questions and chat to members afterwards.

More than 60 alumni and friends had a good time, and we would particularly like to thank Dr Chris Morley, former Vice Master of Trinity for his help in setting up the event.